Some Positives Seen In Loss Against Braves

It was a tough battle in Florida against rivals the Atlanta Braves. Derek Lowe held the Mets down for three score-less innings. He then kicked dirt in their face by scoring in the third inning. Pitchers Scott Proctor and Cory Gearrin were also able to keep the Mets from scoring. 38 year old Chipper Jones hit a two run homer off of Dillon Gee to help give the Braves the win.


Now you may be asking, "What can be positive about that?"


Well, second baseman Josh Turner, who is battling to earn a spot as the Mets official second baseman, ended the Mets hitless streak by hitting a single off of Anthony Varvaro in the sixth inning. He also hit an RBI double in the seventh. After being hitless in his first nine at-bats, this was a good performance for Turner. This may even improve his chances of beating out Brad Emaus and Daniel Murphy for the second baseman spot.


Despite giving up two runs and four hits to the Braves, Mike Pelfrey is optimistic about how he's doing during spring training. "I felt good," Pelfrey said. "The ball came out better. I made some good pitches. My sinker was better today." For the remainder of time in the Grapefruit League season, he plans to tighten up his pitches. Compared to this time last year, Pelfrey does look better. With enough hard work, he should be ready for opening day on April 1st.


So in spite of some losses, The Mets players are working hard to prove they have what it takes. They have the heart. they just need to tune up the talent.

Pitching is in spotlight in game vs. St. Louis

NY Mets pitchers Oliver Perez and Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez had everyone's attention during the Mets 3-0 victory over the St. Loius Cardinals. Their combined three scoreless innings helped New York to grab the win.

Perez came into the game with a disappointing performance that allowed 4 runs hanging over his head. Taking a step in the right direction, Perez only allowed two hits and had no walks. His fastballs were in the 80's range, which isn't quite enough to hold down opponents. Perez mostly faced St. Louis' minor leaguers. He is going to have to improve a bunch more before the season. Even then, Collins will probably keep him on the bullpen bench, and not in regular rotation competition.

Francisco Rodriguez's journey is a little different. He is battling to deal with his inner demons and earn his teammates and fans respect. Right now he is going to anger management classes three times a week. K-Rod says it is helping give him a new outlook on life. From an outsider's point of view, that is hard to see. As fans we are going to judge him on his pitching. Rodriguez had a good scoreless inning against the Cardinals. Now he just needs to consistently keep having good performances on the mound. And stay out of the news.

Beltran gives center field to Pagan for good of team

Spring training has officially began. This prelude to the season is where teams work out the kinks and players battle for spots on the roster. Now is also when management figures out exactly the roles the big contract players will take for the year.


One issue that has finally been settled is who is going to play center field. For the past few years the position was held by five time All-star and 3 time golden glove winner Carlos Beltran. After some debate, Carlos decided that due to the uncertainty of how healthy his knee is, that he would shift over to right field. Youngster Angel Pagan will play center field this year.


"In my heart, i still feel I can play center field." said Beltran on Monday "But at the same time, this is not about Carlos. This is about the team."


Angel Pagan took over his role of center fielder Monday night against the Washington Nationals. He had a rocky start while losing an Ian Desmond fly ball in the first inning in the sun. Pagan misplayed it into a triple causing the first run of the game. In the bottom half of the first inning Angel redeemed himself by hitting a solo home-run off of Nationals starter Chad Gaudin.


So what does the future really hold for Carlos Beltran? He will make his Grapefruit League debut next week in the designated hitter position. Beltran will be using this month to strengthen his legs so he is ready to play on Opening Day. Due to the injuries of the past couple of years, people have their doubts about how well Beltran will perform. Last season, he missed the first half of the season and the last five games due to problems in his knee. With this being the last season of his contract, being traded seems inevitable. The most likely scenario is Beltran being picked up by an American League team to play DH. Carlos Beltran and his agent Scott Boras say this is not an option, but we shall see. 


Personally I am rooting for Carlos. I hope he silences all the naysayers with the best performance of his career.

Financial Woes May Be Doom For Mets

Being a Mets fan isn't easy. The team takes us on a constant roller-coaster ride every season. Now that we're coming upon the beginning of spring training, we fans have something new to worry about. 

The owners of the Amazin' New York Mets, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, are involved in a lawsuit due to their involvement with the infamous Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme. It is reported that the pair made $300 million off of the scheme and might have to pay up to $1 billion dollars to those who got swindled.

To raise some money Fred Wilpon has decided to sell 25% of the franchise. Which is a lot easier said than done. You can't just put an ad in craigslist and give a part of the Mets to the first interested buyer. Who ever buys into the organization must be approved by the MLB and must appeal to fans. Also Fred Wilpon has stated that he does not want to give up any control of the team. With all these factors involved, many believe that the chance of Wilpon and Katz accomplishing their goal is going to be difficult if not impossible. 

So what does this mean for the New York Mets? Well, if some big name celebrity doesn't come around with some cash, Wilpon and Katz are going to have to come up with another strategy. This also puts them at risk at losing the whole franchise. All of this is similar to what happened with the Texas Rangers in 2009. Tom Hicks, the previous owner, also tried to find investors when he was low on cash, with the same stipulations. Over the year, Hicks was forced to sell the team to Pittsburgh lawyer Chuck Greenberg and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz may be in the same boat. As fans we may not be as lucky as getting someone who cares about the Mets as much as Nolan Ryan does about the Rangers.

So now I'm worried how the Mets will do in 2011 and who is going to run the team in 2012. Oh the life of a New York Mets fan.

We're not scared

So a huge topic of conversation in the world of Major League Baseball is the Philadelphia Phillies. They have worked hard on tightening up their pitching rotation. They even grabbed up Cliff Lee from the Yankees. Reporters would have you convinced that the Phillies are going to win a fifth consecutive division title.

Well I can't speak for the rest of the NL East, but New York isn't scared of you Philly. Do you see us trembling? Are we running away? Did we say forget the season and go home. No way. The New York Mets are coming at you in 2011 with all that we got and more. Wright, Beltran, Reyes, and the whole team are going to be scoring runs all over your big bad scary pitching rotation. So enjoy your stop at the top of the mountain. You won't be there for much longer. The Mets will be moving in real soon. Mr. Met is even planning to put in a handball court. As for the rest of the teams in the MLB, this message goes for you as well. Bring it.

Mets coaching staff in place for 2011

The NY Mets  officially announced on December 13th the names of Terry Collins' 2011 coaching staff. Already on staff are Dan Warthen, the incumbent pitching coach, and Chip Hale, the third-base coach. Joining them will be Ken Oberkfell as bench coach, Dave Hudgens as the hitting coach, Jon Debus as the bullpen coach, and Mookie Wilson as the first-base coach. 

Howard Johnson and Randy Niemann who are being replaced will be offered new positions in the organization.

It seems like a promising coaching staff. They all are very optimistic about working with each other and the players. I hope they can handle the task of turning the Mets around.

Bargain Basement Deals Found in Florida

With the fifth highest payroll in Major League Baseball, the New York Mets are used to chasing after high-end players at the annual Winter Meetings. This was not the case this year. Sandy Alderson was forced to be a little thrifty due to having $111million allotted to eight players next season. So when teams were buzzing around top prospects Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee, and Jason Werth, the Mets were getting a cup of coffee.

Just because the Mets showed up to Florida with little dough in their pocket, doesn't mean they left empty handed. The Mets signed right-handed reliever D.J. Carrasco to a two-year deal, catcher Ronny Paulino to a one-year deal, and right handed reliever Boof Bonser (great name) to a Minor League contract. Through Rule 5, the Mets grabbed up infielder Brad Emaus from Toronto and right-handed reliever Pedro Beato from the Orioles. None of these guys are going to be superstars or help catapult the Mets to the playoffs. But Alderson is doing his best to fill in the holes of the roster.

Historic Mets Superstars: Mike Piazza

There are many great baseball players who have donned a NY Mets uniform over the years. One of the greatest was Mike Piazza. He was nicknamed The Monster after coach John Stearns was caught on tape during the 2000 NLCS after a Piazza hit saying, "The Monster is out of the Cage."

Mike Piazza is considered to be the best-hitting catcher of all time and holds the record for home runs hit by a catcher with 396, with a career total of 427. For eight consecutive seasons (1995-2002), he has hit more than 30 home runs. A 12-time All-Star, Piazza has the second-longest RBI streak ever with at least one RBI in 15 consecutive games for the Mets in 2000. On July 18, 2000, Mike Piazza hit his third grand slam of the season, tying a club record. Only three other Mets have pulled off this feat, John Milner in 1976, Robin Ventura in 1999 and Carlos Beltran in 2006.

On September 21, 2001, the Mets faced the Atlanta Braves in the first professional sporting event hosted in New York City since 9/11. The Mets were down 2-1 and had one man on in the bottom of the eighth inning. The atmosphere in the stadium was unfocused and reserved. Mike Piazza came up to bat and hit a two-run homer off reliever Steve Karsay, that put the Mets ahead 3-2 securing the victory. Shea Stadium went wild with emotional frenzy. It is considered the most significant home-run in Mike Piazza's career and one of the greatest moments in baseball history.

Even after leaving the Mets for the San Diego padres, Mets fans welcomed him with standing ovations. The moment was equal to Tom Seaver's return to pitch at Shea in 1977. Even when Mike hit a home run off of Pedro Martinez, fans received a curtain call by fans.

Mike Piazza was just freakin' amazing. The man oozed baseball, and everybody loved him. Mike Piazza loved playing for New York and told reporters that if he got into the Hall of Fame, he would like to be inducted as a Met. The Mets haven't retired his number 31, and has not issued the number since Piazza left.
There aren't many players who can have such an affect on a team and fans like Mike Piazza. The dude was clutch and there may never be anyone like him again.

Who's Sticking Around (and who's not)

During the winter months, MLB teams make the moves they need to build the best team they can. So here is a summary of the moves being made in the New York Mets franchise.

We are going to be seeing a lot of new faces in the Mets bullpen next year. Hisanori Takahashi just signed a two year deal with the Angels. Pedro Feliciano has denied the Mets arbitration offer, hoping to receive a multi year contract in the open market. So the chances of Feliciano wearing a Mets uniform in 2011 is slim. The Mets decided to give John Maine the boot. After three seasons with injuries and some drama from from his last game of 2010, keeping Maine around apparently was not an option. Right-handed reliever Sean Green is also out, because it just not worth the cost of keeping him around.

Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez will be returning next year as the Mets closer. He dodged a two-year prison sentence with a plea deal. With that and being all healed up from his thumb injury, Sandy Alderson said he's all ready to play in 2011. I heard next year he might take on his ex-girlfriend's grandmother.

 Good news is that three arbitration eligible players will be returning next year. R.A. Dickey, Angel Pagan, and Mike Pelfrey. Outfielder Chris Carter has been cut though. Even though Carter hit .328 as a pinch-hitter last season, The Mets felt it was best to let him go.

So there you have it folks. Currently the Mets have a new GM, a new manager, and a nearly empty bullpen. Stay tuned to find out what happens next.

Welcome aboard Captain

In a press conference tomorrow morning, the New York Mets will announce that their search for a new manager is over. Sandy Alderson was looking for someone with experience in a coaching position and someone with a good temperament for dealing with the players. Alderson found those qualities in Terry Collins.

Collins beat out some fan favorites fr the position including Wally Backman and Chip Hale. With his experience coaching the Angels and the Astros during the 90s in successful seasons, plus working out in the Far East, Collins seems like the best man for the job. He is also familiar with the Mets organization, from working as the Minor League field coordinator.

The way I see it, this is going to work out n two ways. Collins has been aching to get back in a managerial position for a few years now. He tried once before for the position of Mets manager, losing to Willie Randolph. Collins also lost a chance to manage the LA Dodgers, until DePodesta was let go. Luckily for Terry, we picked up DePodesta not to long ago. So either Terry Collins is going to take advantage of this opportunity and push the team to be big winners, if not by 2011, definitely in 2012. Or Collins is going to crash and burn.

Of course I wish Terry Collins and the rest of he Mets nothing but good fortune. I'm just going to wait to see results, before getting too excited about the new additions to the family.

Need a cheap date? See a Mets game.

With a struggling economy and a few less than adequate performance over the past four seasons, the Mets organization have decided to drop ticket prices at Citi Field. Prices for ticket have been reduced by 14 percent on more than half the seats in the stadium. Even the number of tickets under $15 have increased.

Their hope is to raise attendance, after a steady decline due to four fourth place seasons. The double digit price cuts along with Sandy Alderson joining the franchise might bring the fans out to the ballpark. Now you can take your kids out to a game and not spend a months pay to do it.

As a baseball fan I found this news very exciting. With how tough times are these days, it's great that you can go see a baseball game and not break the bank. Disregarding their motivation, I say kudos to the Mets for looking out for their fans.

Star Shortstop Around For One More Year

One of the first items of business taken care of Sandy Alderson as the new NY Mets general manager, was exercising shortstop Jose Reyes' $11 million option for 2011. This option is the final portion of his four year $23.5 million  contract that Reyes signed before the 2007 season. At the moment there isn't any discussion on whether they would sign him beyond 2011.

Jose Reyes is definitely one of the finest players to don a Mets uniform. He has played his entire career with the Mets and has produced impressive numbers. Reyes has a franchise record of 83 triples, has 74 home runs, 331 stolen bases and hits a .286. Though the team has had a collective disappointing performance over the past couple of years, Jose Reyes is one of the few that keeps our hopes alive. Even with injuries which have caused him to miss a large amount of games, Jose Reyes' performance in 2010 was still stellar.

Reyes has stated that he wishes to stay on the mets until he retires. I have the same wish. I hope that he never leaves. We need to have players like Reyes on the team that produce great numbers so we can get pissed off when they don't make the playoffs. Not because they suck, but because they have the potential to be World Series contenders. Reyes is part of that equation and I am happy he's sticking around.

Welcome Aboard, Now get to Work

After almost a month of interviews and such, the New York Mets have decided on a new general manager. Sandy Alderson, who has been rumored to be the top choice since the beginning, was named the new general of the Mets organization at a press conference on Friday.

Ok Sandy, let me be one of the first to welcome you to the Mets family. Now enough of the plesantries, get to work. You have quite a work load on your plate right now. I admit your track record is quite impressive. Your work with the Oakland A's is well documented, yes you were the man. Working with the Commissioner's Office means that you know the ins and out of the MLB. Of course all of your experience, and the praise you are receiving from the Wilpons means nothing to me. As a fan I want to see results.

It's time to roll up your sleeves and get dirty Sandy. The Mets need some new support beams and a fresh coat of paint. Mr. Alderson you need to build a team and hire a manager that will work well together and bring results. Also you need to remind the great city of New York that the Mets are a team to be proud of.
So I wish you luck. You are going to need it.

Great Moments in Mets History: The Fightin' Spirit

One thing New Yorkers are known for is not taking any BS from anyone. Especially in 1986.

The New York Mets had a 13 game lead in the National League East, a lead they had held since the third week of the season. With the taste of victory on their lips, the Mets fought for every victory. Figuratively and literally.

In Cincinnati, the Mets were facing the Reds in the second game of a three game series. The game was tied 3-3 at the bottom of the tenth inning. Eric Davis, who was pinch running for Pete Rose, stole second and slid hard into third. After hitting the bag like a car into a telephone pole, Davis got into a fight with Mets third baseman, Ray Knight.The benches emptied and there was a hell of a brawl. Ray Knight emerged from the pile after sixteen minutes of fighting.

After everyone calmed down, the game continued for another four innings. Howard Johnson became the hero of the day with a three run homer, bringing the Mets to victory.

K-Rod & Mets work on repairing relationship

On Tuesday, the Mets and Francisco Rodriguez resolved their grievance over financial issues.

K-Rod forfeited the $3.1 million he was owed for the time missed due to injury at the end of last season. The Mets have taken Rodriguez off the disqualified list and will not turn his contract into a non-guaranteed deal.

The Mets wanted to convert K-Rod's contract to a non-guaranteed deal after he was arrested for attacking his girlfriend's father. He tore a ligament in his right thumb which caused him to miss the end of the season. The Major League Baseball Player's Association got involved shortly after. Now the Mets must now pay Rodriguez 411.5 million in 2011, and will owe him $17.5 million in 2012 if he plays 55 games next season.

Rodriguez is awaiting trial in November where he may face up to 2 years in prison.

Looking for Mister Right

For the past three weeks the New York Mets having been looking for a new general manager to replace Omar Minaya. COO Jeff Wilpon and assistant GM John Ricco have met with a few quality candidates so far. Dodgers assistant GM Logan White, White Sox Gm Rick Hahn, Red Sox assistant to the general manager Allard Baird, and former Diamondbacks Gm Josh Byrnes. Earlier today they met with Blue Jays special assistant to the general manager Dana Brown.

The person who is getting the most buzz is Sandy Alderson, the former Oakland A's general manager. Alderson is well known amongst baseball aficionados for his with the A's during the 1980's. Recently he has been working with the commisioner's office to help clean up steroid use. Alderson is also fighting to end corruption in the Dominican Republic. He most likely will be asked back for the second round of interviews with owner Fred Wilpon and president Saul Katz.

The Mets hope to get permission to speak with Texas rangers GM, and Queens native, Jon Daniels once the postseason is finished. Chuck Greenberg, co-owner of the Rangers, has told reporters that Daniels "isn't going anywhere."

Tribute to Tom Terrific

Today I wanted to talk about one of the greats in Mets history, Tom Seaver. The New York Mets has had many legendary players don the uniform, but Tom stands above them all. As of today Tom Seaver is the only player inducted into the baseball hall of fame who's plaque wears a Mets hat. Also his number, 41, is the only number retired by the New York Mets.

The man is just outstanding. Tom Seaver joined the weak Mets organization in 1967. Despite the team being one of the worst in the National League, Seaver won 16 games, had a 2.76 ERA, 170 strikeouts and won Rookie of the Year. In 1969, Tom was essential to the Mets' greatness. That year he won a record 25 games and his first Cy Young award. During the playoffs and World Series, he pitched close to perfect games. At season's end Sport's Illustrated awarded him "Sportsman of the Year."

A great quote about Tom Seaver is from Reggie Jackson, "Blind men come to the park just to hear him pitch." Since the World Series, Tom Seaver continued to shock and amaze. He tied for the record of a 19 strikeout game with Steve Carlton. For several years Seaver led the National League in strikeouts for five consecutive years from 1970 to 1976. He also won two more Cy Young awards in 1973 and 1975.

In 1985 Tom won his 300th victory while playing for the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees.

In 1987 Tom Seaver retired with the New York Mets stating "I have used up all the competitive pitches in my arm." In 1988 The New York Mets retired his number, 41. In 1992 Tom was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the highest percentage of votes ever.

Tom all I can really say is that you were surely terrific.

K-Rod hopes for plea deal

Thursday was a beautiful autumn day, perfect for bike rides and walks through the park. On Thursday, Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez had spent his afternoon at the Queens Criminal Court House. K-Rod was in court for a hearing for assault and criminal contempt charges for attacking his girlfriends father.

If you happened to miss any major New York City periodical or live under a rock for the past couple of months, allow me to explain to you the details of the case. In early August K-Rod punched his girlfriend's father, 53 year old Carlos Pena, pinned him against a wall, and a few security guards had to restrain him. All of this occurred after a game at Citi Field. So K-Rod was charged with assault and harassment. The judge also gave him a restraining order barring him from contacting his girlfriend, Daian Pena, and her father. Daian is the mother of Rodriguez's twins.

Apparently Rodriguez didn't quite understand the meaning of no contact. K-Rod sent his girlfriend 56 text messages in seven days, with messages ranging from:

"Baby I Love You" to

"Thank you for sinking me turning your back, take good care of my children... and now I see that your were with me because of the money to see that you family..."

Rodriguez's attorney is trying to claim that K-Rod is naive and didn't know he wasn't supposed to text her. Whatever dude, obviously you have some serious issues if you text someone 56 times in seven days. I would have given up at 25. The judge charged Rodriguez with seven counts of contempt, one charge for every day of texting.

So now K-Rod and his attorney are trying to work out a plea deal for when he returns to court in November. Personally I hope K-Rod does some time and not just a slap on the wrist. He brings a bad vibe the Mets and society just doesn't need right now. You can't just go flipping out on your loved ones and expect to get away with that.

2011 Hopes & Dreams

Now that the season is over, it's time to concentrate on 2011. With the search for a new GM and a new manager, getting everyone healthy, and fine tweaking the machine that is the NY Mets, it is going to be a long winter.

On Monday, when the Mets organization announced they were releasing Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel, they already had a list a mile long of possible replacements. Assistant GM John Ricco, who is taking the reigns of GM until they fill the position, and ownership are hoping to start interviewing as soon as this week. Unsure of the type of person they are looking for, the Mets have a tough job ahead of them.

"I think we'll learn going through the process what's going to fit best here, and what kind of culture they want to bring that fits best for our organization," said Mets COO Jeff Wilpon.

The Mets hope to fill the General Manager position by the end of October. After that they will begin the search for a new manager.

Another difficult task the Mets owners must overcome with is a talented roster that is dealing with injuries and low esteem. At least eight players are under expensive contracts, limiting the Mets' ability to shop the open market. So they must hope and pray that Johan Santana, Carlos Beltran,Jason Bay and Jose Reyes will start next season healthy and ready to kick ass. David Wright will also need to continue to hold the team together. His positive winning attitude is key to help motivate his teammates. Of course if everything works out, the Mets could be the dynamic super team we all want them to be.

That is a ton of uncertainty to deal with in the off-season. The Mets owners won't be getting any rest anytime soon. Luckily it's still early, and there is plenty of time to make the necessary moves on the chess board.

NY Mets to Manuel and Minaya, "You're Fired!"

On Monday, October 4th, the Mets organization released Manager Jerry Manuel and General Manager Omar Minaya. It is the first step in restructuring the team in hopes of not repeating the past sad three years.

COO Jeff Wilpon and CEO Fred Wilpon expressed their disappointment with the direction the team had gone in a press conference.

"Our family has owned the New York Mets for a very long time. We've had a lot of good years and too many poor years," said Fred Wilpon. "I must say that the last four years have been the most painful to me."

It's about time in my opinion. Personally I am tired of rooting for a team that just can't seem to get the job done. Sure Omar Minaya brought in great players Carlos Beltran, Billy Wagner, and Johan Santana, but you have to be more than a one trick pony. You have to do more than just bring awesome players to the franchise, Minaya you needed to make better decisions with how the Mets were run. We fell in love with Jerry Manuel's up front, in your face attitude. Oh he entertained us with his philosophical way of dealing with things. But you made too many stupid mistakes, and that is unforgivable.

So now the New Yrok Mets are in search for their replacements. There are plenty names in the hat, some look promising. Like you, I will watching the Wilpon's closely over the next couple of months. This is their time to shine, so they better not let us down.