METS

I think Pedro is done

SUPER TUESDAY

Who will win more games in 08? Pedro or Joba?

I really believe Pedro’s got one more run in him.

While Joba’s figuring out how to be a starter and having to go through batters 2 and 3 times a night, which is something he didn’t ever have to do when he was dominating as a one-inning guy, Pedro will be making one more run through the National League, winning games with his stuff and smarts. Pedro will win more games in 2008 than Joba – by a wide margin.

Pedro’s arm is healthy and has had a year and a half off. Pedro is also motivated by the need to earn one last big payday. Pedro wants to leave NY the hero is is, and will always be in Boston.

Neither pitcher is going to do very deep in games, and the Mets’ bullpen is better than the Yankees’ specially with Joba not in the 8th anymore (how are they going to get through innings 6-8 without Joba? Kyle Farnsworth? Latroy Hawkins?)

Also the Mets are the better team and are going to finish with the better record. And they play in the National League. Pedro can work a line up, and use 80-mile per hour fastballs against the eight and nine hitters for easy outs. Joba will need to use all of his energy to get through five innings.

Either way, today is Super Tuedsay, as both guys take the mound, for New York, and baseball, it is a very exciting night.

CRAZY MET FAN

When did I become that annoying, stupid Met fan that is doom and gloom every other day and lives and dies on every little event rather than look at the big picture and know that the baseball season is 162 games and not one at bat?

The Mets lose two winnable games to the Nationals and I’m one of those stupid callers to Mike and the Mad Dog, all out of my mind, screaming for the manager’s head and looking to offer trades of Luis Castillo, Marlon Anderson and Angel Pagan for Chase Utley.

I’ve been religiously following this team for 35 years, and we have won 1 time. So that’s 34 seasons of disappointments and failures, but never have I been taking these losses and these games as hard as I did last week. Was it the fact that last year they may have been the most talented team in the NL, and had the largest collapse in history? Is it because we went out and got the best pitcher in baseball this year and we are floundering at .500?

I see a lot of talent on this team, and at any minute they can reel off 6 or 7 wins or a 12 out of 16 couple of weeks and all will be well. They are tied for 1st in the loss column, and we still have 75% of the season left. There really is no need for me to go nuts after losing a listless 1-0 game on a Thursday afternoon. I apologize to my faithful reader(s) for the brief level of insanity.

Never can I remember the core Met fans being so quick to pull the trigger, so unhappy with every move, every decision. I think Omar has done a terrific job building this team, I think he has given Wille everything he needs, and I think this is the best team in the NL. Let’s get through this next 4 game series against Atlanta not losing 3 out of 4, lets keep giving Johan and Maine a couple of runs, and watch Big Pelf continue to blossom, get Pedro back in a few weeks, and see Ollie continue to pitch well against the good teams and there is no reason to expect anything less than a trip to the NLCS.

So in a way I feel a little silly that we win 2 games easily this weekend against a last place team and my whole out look has changed and everything is fixed, but in reality I know it’s not. But I do know they need to continue doing what they were doing, which means Reyes has to hit, Wright has to hit, and the starters have to give us a solid 7 innings each night.

I’m going to try and hold back my overreactions, both negative and positive, and remember there are a ton of baseball left to play. It was a good weekend, lets build on this against Atlanta tomorrow, and please, please…lets knock the crap out of Tommy Glavine.

Hmmm…I wonder if the Phills would take Castillo AND Heilman for Utley???

JULY 1, 2010

Only 819 days.

It doesn’t sound like that long a time.

819 days ago it was January 5, 2006. Rich Southard had just won the first Brooktown WSOP title, no one knew what “subprime” really was, Pedro Martinez was probably hurt, and on Lost we were 5 episodes in and had no idea what was going on.

Not much has changed.

So what is so exciting 819 days from now? Well, on July 1, 2010, LeBron James becomes a free agent and will sign a contract to play for the Knicks. Now I know the Knick fans still have two full seasons of preparation (and losing) to endure. They have to be sure not trade away expiring contracts, and they probably have to lose a lot more games, but none of that matter. For the Knicks it’s all about 7/1/10. For now we must simply get rid of Isaiah, and get this roster ready to make room for the greatest player ever to play for the Knicks.

Sorry Clyde and Patrick, but LeBron will be the most exciting, captivating, “must see TV’ thing to hit Broadway since rumors (yes I’m starting them) of Moulin Rouge hitting the big stage.

819 days…19,656 hours….

By then Rich may still be the defending WSOP champion, no one will know what subprime really was, Pedro will probably still be hurt and I’m sure we’ll still have no idea what is happening on Lost.

It’ll be here before we know it.

19,656 hours…1,179,360 minutes.

TOP 10 FAVORITE METS

Having been a Mets fan since 1973, I starting thinking about my favorite players and I have put together this little list.

10. Johan Santana – Yes he’s been a Met for exactly one day, but are you kidding me…after the embarrassment of 2007 I don’t think there was any move this team could make to excite a Met fan again except to acquire this guy. We won’t forget the last 3 weeks of 2007, but after watching this guy pitch, and getting him in his prime, there is little doubt he will move up on this list pretty fast.

9. Rick Reed – I don’t have great memories about Jerry Koosman, and although as a kid I used to get a kick out of watching Dave Kingman hit, he was a jerk. Go back and look at Rick Reed’s stats as a Met, the guy was very solid. He didn’t walk anyone, and just went out there and got people out and was always a good guy. Cone and Leiter were better, but I always like Rick Reed best.

8. Pedro Martinez – I loved Pedro as a Bosox, and I love Pedro even more as a Met. He is one of the most charismatic players we have ever had, not to mention one of the most talented. To watch a healthy Pedro is to watch one of the greatest players of our generation, so here’s to hoping Pedro has a solid 2008, signs a new deal with the Mets and finishes his career in NY.

7. Lee Mazzilli – After Seaver was traded the Mets this Brooklyn born Italian basket catching CF was the best player we had. I still remember the 1979 All Star game (that he should have won the MVP award of) when he walked with the bases loaded against Ron Guidy and then later hit a HR off Jim Kern it was probably the first time I could remember one of my favorites doing something to actually win a game, when everyone else was watching.

6. Jose Reyes – although he is blamed for being a huge part of the collapse of the 2007 Mets, he is probably the most exciting and electrifying player in their history. When Reyes is getting on base and running the bases he makes the entire offense roll. Defensively I think he is a bit over rated, but none the less, he is a solid fielder and great to watch everyday.

5. Edgardo Alfonso – Although his “big” years were short lived, he was at one time the best player in NY, and we thought he would put up one big year after another. A clutch hitter, and top notch defensive player at both 2nd and 3rd base. After he injured his back he was never the same hitter, but 1997-2000 at the ages of 23-26 we thought we had a guy who would be a super star for the next 15 years.

4. Mike Piazza – This future Hall of famer was an offensive force to watch in his years as a Met. He always carried himself with dignity, and had a great presence in the lineup. No one ever hit the ball harder, and you never wanted to miss his at-bats. After the awful 1990 seasons, Piazza came aboard and immediately this organization has a renewed sense of respect. His home run at Shea in the first game back after 9/11 will never be forgotten.

3. David Wright – he’s only been here a few years but he has the chance to go down as one of the all time great Mets. So far he has exhibited a great “awareness” of who he is, and what he is. And what he is, is a class act with a ton of talent.

2. Keith Hernandez – The captain. After all those awful losing seasons once Seaver was gone, Hernandez came to the Mets in 1983 and was the first piece of the puzzle that brought an entirely different attitude to this team and a championship (my only in all 3 major sports as a fan in 35 seasons) in 1986. His professionalism and tenacity were by far the makings of an amazing leader.

1. Tom Seaver – the franchise and the reason I grew up rooting for the good guys and not the Yankees. I remember trying to emulate his pitching motion right down to the grass stains on my right knee, and I went to bed crying when he was traded in 1977. I was at the first game when he returned to Shea as a Red, I was at the first game when he returned as a Met, and I went to Cooperstown for the weekend to see his induction.