Beltran Gets Good News From MRI: Mets Lineup Game2 V. Brewers - September 29, 2010

Carlos Beltran received some positive news from the MRI he had this morning. Beltran, who will be shut down for the remaining five games, only suffered slight swelling. The bone bruise has actually improved since his last MRI.

Tonight's Mets lineup for game 2 against the Brewers courtesy Adam Rubin:

1. Reyes - SS
2. Pagan - CF
3. Wright - 3B
4. Davis - 1B
5. Duda - LF
6. Evans - RF
7. Thole - C
8. Arias - 2B
9. Dickey - RSP

Mets double dip game 1 lineup : Awaiting Beltran results

As the Mets plan to play 2 games agains the Brewers on this warm Wednesday afternoon , we await the results of Carlos Beltran's MRI which he had early this afternoon. Pagan is back with the team and in the lineup as Jon Niese gets the game 1 start against Yovani Gallardo 14-7, 3.57 ERA. Nuke is 0 for 8 against the Man so this shuold be fun Mets will have Mr R A Dickey on tap for the nite cap against Dave Bush..

Reyes-SS
Duda-LF
Pagan-CF
Wright-3B
Davis-1B
Carter-RF
Tejada-2B
Nickeas-C
Niese-P

Beltran to have MRI on knee as Mets win on Tejada's walk off hit

Something was weird in the 6th inning. As Corey Hart hit Big Pelfs first pitch over the Centerfield 408 sign there was Jesus Felicano chasing it. Were was Mr Beltran?  He was removed since he complained to Ray the trainer about tightness in his surgically repaired knee.  Now there will be a MRI on Wednesday to see if there is anything behind the tightness.  This comes off a road trip where Beltran was finally putting some nice at bats together batting lefty and driving the ball.  Will Beltran be able to play the rest of the way or is this tightness more due to possibly the weather that is now cooler in NY?  We will see on Wednesday.

The Mets pulled out there first victory after trailing after 8 innnings with a walk off double by Mr 3 hits in the game Ruben Tejada that plated Davis and pinch runner/hobbler Luis Castillo all the way from first as the Mets beat the Brew Crew 4-3. 

Pelfrey pitched pretty good again toinght and only really had a couple of mistakes .

Check out the box score here

Shocker! Wright Sets Record And Beltran Hurts Knee & Is Removed From Game

Carlos Beltran was removed from tonight's game against the Brewers. Beltran was removed in the sixth inning after "straining" his surgically repaired right knee.

Just as it seemed that Beltran was entering that comfort zone, with two HR's on Sunday, the Mets, and Beltran, have been once again smite by the injury stick.

It is not yet known the extent of Beltran's injury, but the last thing the Mets need is another question mark heading into an already complicated and confused off-season.

David Wright has just set the Mets all time Strike Out record for one season with 157. Of course it came in the bottom of the 8th with the tying run on second and two outs.

Source: Andy McCullough

Mets vs Brewers: Septermber 28th: Pagan with Daughter

The Mets will try to get a game in tonight with threatening skies in the area. Big Pelf goes for win number 16 in the first of 4 with the Brew Crew weather permitting. Angel Pagan is away from the team today to be with his daughter who is having eye surgery Wednesday morning. Best wishes to him and to Dan Warthen who just lost his brother. He will be gone today and Wednesday. Nick Evans and Jesus get starts in the corner outfield spots tonight.


Reyes-SS,
Feliciano-RF
Beltran-CF
Wright-3B
Davis-1B
Evans-LF
Thole-C
Tejada-2B
Pelfrey-P

Met game rained out tonight : Double header on Wednesday

The Mets get an extra day of rest as tonights first game of the homestand on bring your dog to the park night has been rained out. 


Mets will play a Doubleheader  on Wednesday with the first game starting at 4:10pm. A old fashioned single admission double header.

The Mets Losing Ways Now Solved. It's The Curse!

Since 1986 we have watched this Mets organization be bridesmaids as well as embarrassments. More the embarrassment than the bridesmaid.

Through great research and sparing no expense, we here at 24 Hours...have finally solved the Mets woes; why we are the laughingstock of not only NY, but baseball.

First a little history: In 1986 the Mets were dominant. They won 108 games while losing only 54. The won the NL East by 21 1/2 games over the now dreaded Phillies.

They won a thrilling six game NLCS against a strong, never say die, Houston Astro team led by manager Hal Lanier.

Then came the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Again, the Mets won in thrilling fashion, coming back from three runs down in the bottom of the 10th to win game 6, thus propelling them for a game 7 victory over the Sawx.

In 1987 the Mets finished behind a quick St. Louis Cardinal team, who lost to the Twins in the World Series.

In 1988 the Mets won the division again by 15 games over the Pittsburgh Pirates, only to lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. A Dodger team the Mets dominated during the season.

From then on, it's been downhill. There have been flashes of championship caliber teamwork, such as 1999, 2000, and 2006 - but have continued to frustrate us and break out hearts.

The cause? Simple. It' the curse. The Curse Of Ed Hearn.

Ed Hearn was Gary Carter's solid back-up catcher in 1986. Hearn hit .265 with 4 HR's and 10 RBI in 49 games. He had a .987 fielding percentage in 34 games started behind the plate.

After the 1986 Championship season, the Mets traded the 25 year old Hearn for a young stud pitcher with the KC Royals, David Cone.

Cone pitched well for the Mets, who arguably could have been the Cy Young winner in 1988. Cone also opened his big mouth, where his comments became fodder for the Dodger bulletin board.

After beating the Dodgers in game 1 of the 1988 NLCS, Cone called Dodger reliever Jay Howell "a high school pitcher."

The Dodgers used these unsavory comments to fuel their fire, which led them to the 1988 World Series Championship.

The Curse? Ed Hearn would never had made such comments, but his replacement on the Mets squad, after a great year, caused the 1988 Mets demise. Ed Hearn didn't.

Hearn ran into difficulties in KC, where he played two years with the Royals before retiring due to injuries. As we posted here, Hearn has always been a class act, and has raised a lot of money for FSGS and kidney disease.

After Hearn left, the Mets lost whatever class they might have had: they made such bad moves as signing Vince "Firecracker" Coleman, Bobby "Not My Error" Bonilla, and Bret "Bleach" Saberhagen. Not Ed Hearn. He didn't do these sort of things.

Ed Hearn with the 1986 Mets - they could have curled up and died against Houston, but didn't. They could have curled up and died after being down 3-2 in the Series against Boston, but didn't.

What did they do in 2006? They curled up and died against an inferior Cardinal team.

2007: They collapsed with a seven game lead with 17 left to play because they couldn't beat Philadelphia, Washington, or Florida.

2008: See 2007.

The Mets didn't collapse while Ed Hearn was in their employ.

Is it possible to reverse the curse? Absolutely. The Mets should hire Hearn to be either GM or Manager...or both. Maybe he should be head scout too.

Ed Hearn was the glue that held the '86 Mets together. Since he was jettisoned out before the '87 season, the Mets fell apart. They never fell apart with Hearn, but have built a history falling apart without him.

After all these years, the cause of the Mets failures have been realized.It is the Curse Of Ed Hearn.

Sources: Baseball Almanac, Baseball Reference, and Can't Stop The Bleeding


*** Before people start getting upset and calling for my head, this is all in jest, and I have the world of respect for Ed Hearn and his fight against Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). ***

Wright Goes For Record, Evans And Arias Get Rare Starts: Mets Lineup Vs. Phillies - September 26, 2010

Nick Evans gets a rare start in LF today and Joaquin Arias will get a chance at 2B. Here is today's Mets matinee lineup vs. the Phillies, courtesy of David Lennon:

1. Reyes-SS
2. Evans-LF
3. Beltran-CF
4. Wright-3B
5. Pagan-RF
6. Davis-1
7. Arias-2B
8. Blanco-C
9. Misch-LSP

David Wright is only one strikeout away from tying the Mets record for strikeouts in a season with 156. Wright struck out for the 155th time last night. One more strikeout, and Wright will tie Tommie Agee (1970) and Dave Kingman (1982) for the single season Mets strikeout record. With a week left to play, the record should easily be Wright's.

This Team Can't Even Pull Off Talking Tough

"Nobody is going to push us around. We're going to have our teamate's back. I think cooler heads prevailed, but we've got to let them know that over on our side we didn't appreciate it and that we're going to go out there and have our teammates' backs. I think our bench let him know. As far as I'm concerned, it's done. We move on. We'll reevaluate the way we go into second base."

~ David Wright ~

All those shaking in their boots raise their hands. If this doesn't give Utley and the Phillies more incentive to physically pound this sorry excuse for a team...

For the last four years not one team has taken the Mets seriously. It's not just wins and losses, or collapses for that matter, it is their whole demeanor.

I don't believe Matt Cain hit Wright in the coconut on purpose last year, but the team did nothing.

Whether Utley's slide into Ruben Tejada was clean or not, it sent a message to the Mets: 'we are not only going to beat you on the scoreboard, but we are going to make you our bitch.'

RA Dickey had some strong words also:

_______________________________________________

"If you deem as a team that it's a dirty play, then you should take action. Absolutely.
You've got to protect your teammates, for one. And you've got to show the other
team you're not going to roll over and let them step on your neck. That's just part of
the game. Any game. You don't want to ever be a team that has the reputation you
can be kicked around and you're going to go back into the dugout at the end of the
game with your tail between your legs."

________________________________________________

I like Dickey and his attitude, but he pitched another inning after the incident in the fifth. Why didn't he take matters into his own hands? He didn't have to wait to see the video if it was clean or not. I'm sure there was enough clamoring on the bench after the play.

The solution is simple. SHUT UP WRIGHT! Stop the old worn out cliches. If you had a problem, take care of it, don't wait until you have the press around to talk tough.

Many might disagree with me, but I truly believe if the Mets had a fiery manager like Wally Backman, this sort of attitude wouldn't happen.

I remember back in the 80's, I believe it was Bill Gullickson, who threw at Gary Carter. The Mets said nothing. When Gullickson came to bat, a young Dwight Gooden happened to "slip" with a 96 MPH fastball that just happened to miss Gullickson's chin. Message sent.

When asked about it after the game, Gooden said the pitch got away from him...with his golden tooth smile. No words spoken, message sent.

Dickey and Santana are competitors, but not the way that is needed. There are no Kevin Mitchell's, no Wally Backman's, no Ray Knights. Not one player on this team has the "intestinal fortitude" to take matters into their own hands. Our rivals further down 95? We've never seen them "collapse." They have won 11 straight at Gut Check Time. They more than likely will clinch the division this weekend against the Mets. The same Mets that allowed the Marlins, Nats, and Phils embarrass them in their own home in 2007 and 2008, and played spoiler in the Mets cataclysmic collapse.

Memo to the Mets GM for the 2011 season: Get someone who will not allow teams to disrespect the Mets or their fans. Bring in a player who will silence the other teams with his play and fire. Wright? Reyes? Thole? Castillo/Tejada? Not one of these players will do it. Unlike others, I don't put Beltran in this category. He has proven to be a prime time player throughout his career, and let's his play do the speaking.

As for now, Just shut up Nuke. Let your play and your guttiness do the talking. Until then, I don't want to hear it.

Source: ESPN NY

Duda bats 2nd in the Friday lineup against the Phillies.

Look for Mr. Duda to be batting 2nd tongiht in the Mets lineup in game 1 of their last road series . R A Dickey goes to the mound against the Phillies. Dickey is 2 and 1 against the Phillies with a ERA of just 2.00. Dickey ,who is 11-7 and a ERA of 2.92, is going against Joe Blanton tonight. The Mets will have Duda batting before Beltran in the lineup with Pagan 6th. The Mets try to deny the Phillies from clinching the division this weekend.

Reyes, Duda, Beltran, Wright, Davis, Pagan, Thole, Tejada, Dickey

Mets roll into Philly: Will they roll over?

As usual it seems the Phillies are having a heck of September winning there last 10 after weeping the Braves earlier this week.  Of course the Mets have lost 5 in a row since there 4 game sweep of the Pirates at home. Now to add insult to injury the Mets have to either play spoiler this weekend or watch the Phillies celebrate another division title with the Mets in town.  The Phillies magic number is 4. 

Can the Mets muster up a little motivation against a team that is steam rolling there competition .  Oswault has been lights out in September as well as Hamels.  The Mets will face Blanton tonight and more then likely Hamels on Saturday and if the Phillies have a chance to clinch on Sunday look for Halladay to get the start.  

Mets have Dickey, Gee and Pat Misch this weekend. Yeah that is frightening I am sure for the Phillies.

One Door Closes...Another One Opens Up In Mets GM Search(?)

As we scribed here yesterday, my first choice for Mets GM, Kevin Towers, was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks. As I stated:

_____________________________________________________

"Towers would have been a good fit for the Mets, but what does it say
about this organization? Towers goes to a team 31 games under .500.
He apparently sees that as a better employment opportunity than a
team that is 3 games under .500. Has Jeff's incompetence run so
rampant throughout Major League Baseball that no one wants to work
here?"

______________________________________________________

With Towers signing a two year deal with options, the interim GM for Arizona, former Met player Jerry DiPoto, has decided he won't return to Arizona. This might be a blessing in disguise.

Dipoto, who is only 42, is highly regarded as a person who is a true student of the game and a solid talent evaluator.

Even when he was a player, a pitcher no less, he would talk to players about situations, hitting, and playing. As reported by NY Baseball Digest, former Met 1B Rico Brogna said:


___________________________________________________________

“We’d go back to the hotel after games, and he’d break down my at-bats,” said Rico Brogna, a Diamondbacks scout who was a teammate of Dipoto’s with the New York Mets in the mid-1990s.

“There were no other relief pitchers doing that in the bullpen. It’s not a love or passion; it’s beyond that. He can’t get enough of it.”

___________________________________________________________

Dipoto cut his teeth with the Red Sox, and was a part of the building of the teams that won the World Series in 2004 and 2007.

As Matt Pignataro so adequately states, the signings of good ballplayers like: Troy Tulowitzki, Max Scherzer, and Jarrod Parker have been attributed to Dipoto while he was with Colorado and Arizona.

Although the Mets will probably look for more experienced people for the GM job, it might benefit them to consider someone so respected like Dipoto.

As Thomas Harding MLB.com quoted Dipoto back in 2005:

________________________________________________________

"I've followed the game passionately since I was a kid. One of the things I
did was watch trends. What makes a team great? What creates
long-term success? The Twins in the early '90s. The Braves in the late '80s
and early '90s. The Mets of the mid-to-late '90s. What they had in
common was a very high-level minor league system and a sound process,
a right way to do things."

________________________________________________________

This just might be the type of dedication and passion the Mets need to head up this rebuilding process that we will probably be faced with for the next few years. Whether Dipoto is the right man for the job or not, I don't know. What I do know is that he has certainly earned the right to be considered.

Nothing New: Mets Linuep Vs. Marlins - September 22, 2010

Nothing new in tonight's lineup against the Marlins in Florida. The Mets look to snap a four game losing streak and get closer to .500:

1. Reyes - SS
2. Pagan - RF
3. Beltran - CF
4. Wright - 3B
5. Davis - 1B
6. Duda - LF
7. Thole - C
8. Tejada - 2B
9. Niese - LSP

Minaya's Replacement Goes To Arizona

Probably the best replacement for beleaguered Mets GM, Omar Minaya, has been hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

As recently tweeted by Jon Heyman, Kevin Towers was signed by the DBacks for two years with options.

Towers would have been a good fit for the Mets, but what does it say about this organization? Towers goes to a team 31 games under .500. He apparently sees that as a better employment opportunity than a team that is 3 games under .500. Has Jeff's incompetence run so rampant throughout Major League Baseball that no one wants to work here?

Now the Mets may not have made any offer to Towers being that Omar is still sitting in the GM's seat, but the season has been over for a long time, and they should have started paving the road for a new GM so that all the best choices aren't off the board by the time November rolls around.



All these years, and this team still doesn't get it. The scary part? We might very well look back at 2009 as "The Good 'Ol Days" - and that scares the daylights out of me.

Mets new Chipper Jones: Gabby Sanchez

So will Gabby sometime soon be naming his kid Citi ?  Mets were officially eliminated last night . Like it mattered but there is a new Mets nemesis in town and his name is Gabby Sanchez.  The Marlins first baseman hit a 3 run moon shot in the bottom of the 8th inning as the Mets lost again for the 4th in a row and the first lost on there last road trip by the score of 5-2.

Nuke hit a solo home run in the 8th to tie the score at 2 after he blew a chance to get the third out. He had a ground ball trickle off his glove as the Marlins scored the go ahead run in the 7th. 

Elmer Dessens came in with 2 outs in the 8th and gave up 2 singles and then of course Gabby came up. He is hitting like .390 against the Mets this year with over 25 hits.  He then fouled a couple of pitches off and then Dessens just grooved one and out it went .  Sanchez leads all rookies with 81 rbi's.  Chipper needs to hand over the crown since there is a new Met killer in town. 

Parnell Done For Season, Bones Called Up: Mets Lineup Vs. Marlins - September 21, 2010

Today the Mets shut Bobby Parnell down for the remainder of the season with inflammation of the plica in his throwing elbow. Warthen and Parnell both stated that if the Mets were in a pennant race, he would still be pitching. Somehow this doesn't make me feel any better.

AAA pitching coach Ricky Bones will join the Mets tonight.

Tonight's Mets lineup courtesy of Adam Rubin:

1. Reyes-SS
2. Pagan-RF
3. Beltran-CF
4. Wright-3B
5. Davis-1B
6. Duda-LF
7. Thole-C
8. Tejada-2B
9. Pelfrey-RSP

Omar Minaya needs to go

I am not usually a pessimist with this Mets team that I have been following since the Early to Mid 70’s .  Usually life circumstances just place me in a position to just not have as much time or interest in the team.  Back in the Mid 90’s I lived in florida for a stretch and I saw the Mets when they played the Marlins and really that was it. I still had interest but it was tough to foster before the age of blogs etc.     Now for the last I would say 5 years my interest has been at its peek  like it was when I was a kid. Even when they lost that game 7 in the NLCS against the Cardinals in ’06 I felt that this team can still rake. Now of course those days are over and we are stuck with a .500 team. I really just don’t see this team doing any better in 2011 and the first one that needs to get fired is Minaya. 

I had a lot of hope for him when he was brought on since I know he was amazing working the Expos with a budget that was set by Major league baseball.  I give him Kudos for giving R A Dickey a chance as well as Takahashi.  What I don’t give him kudos for how to set this team up to win. I blame him for allowing this teams backup players to be minor league retreds in 2009 when ¾ of the team were injured. We go another season with no one who can hit for average except Pagan in a park that invites gap to gap hitters . Instead we have batters like Davis who fights himself for ¾ of the year. Sorry he gets no pass. Go look around the league to the likes of Gabby Sanchez etc. We have hot rod fielders like Carter who can’t even freaking throw a ball but he is called animal for his intense pregame work. Too bad it doesn’t transfer to the field where it counts!

Don’t forget who we started the season with . Where is Gary Matthews Jr or Frankie C or Jacobs? We also have a aging backup catcher that has done absolutely nothing this year with the bat.  I really like Blanco and how he works with the pitchers and helped Thole but you need another backup with some thump if your going to run out Thole every day.

Minaya gets all the blame him for not being able to deal with the Wilpon's and the media.  How can a man who is in the Media capital of the world not be able to address the media and sound intelligent?  Why does every other statement have to start with ..”and with that being said”  

The Mets can’t embark on a way up the NL east ladder with Minaya at the GM spot.  Every team looks to be better in 2011 except the Mets.  Of course you can blame the Wilpons but I also have learned in business you learn to accept the shortcoming of the hierarchy and you learn to make the best moves you can with the assets you have.  Minaya has failed miserably this time.  Will he still be in the organization? I think really depends on the next GM but as a GM he needs to move on. 

Torre Pimping Himself Out; Mets Should Not Solicit His Services

Harsh title I know, but that is exactly what it is. Joe Torre who "allegedly" said he wasn't interested in the Mets job this past weekend, now says:

_________________________________________________

"I am curious. When the season is over, I hope the phone will be ringing."

_________________________________________________

Now, didn't he say he was retiring from the managing? According to Dictionary.com, to retire is to:

withdraw from office, business, or active life, usually because of age: to retire at the age of sixty.

First off, Torre is now 70. Secondly, Torre was a good fit for the Yankees. Anyone with any baseball acumen realizes Torre has never been a brilliant manager between the lines. His skill was in being able to handle personalities, and have them accept their roles - i.e. Darryl Strawberry and Tim Raines; Tino Martinez and Cecil Fielder; Wade Boggs and Charlie Hayes, etc.

The Mets don't need this. They need a strong personality that will light a fire under the team that has become complacent and has accepted losing.

Joe Torre isn't the saint the press and fans make him out to be. He might be a great guy, but when he "retired" from the Yankees, he waited for the big offer from the Dodgers to "coax" him out of retirement.

Torre is simply doing what any free agent player does; he is getting NY involved to drive his price up. The Mets appear to be strapped for cash, regardless of what Jeff Wilpon claims. Money can be much better spent than on another retread.

Torre's years in the Bronx will surely secure his spot in Cooperstown, but he isn't needed in Flushing.

Torre has suddenly become nostalgic. As the NY Post reported, Torre is starting to turn down the path to Memory Lane:

___________________________________________

"That's where it all started for me in '77; it would really be weird."

____________________________________________

Torre concluded with a lot of double speak:

___________________________________________________

"I made the announcement about not coming back to the Dodgers and I left the door open. I don't really anticipate managing again, but I think it would be unfair not to listen just out of curiosity to see if something excites me. . . . I am not sure if something will intrigue me, but I am not shutting the door."

____________________________________________________

In other words, a huge pay day would excite him. Memo to Jeff Wilpon and the Mets: Do not drink the Torre Kool Aid. The Mets need to get a younger manager ( a la Wally Backman) rather than an older one ( a la Joe Torre). Torre has also said he plans on meeting with the Dodgers to see about a job in another capacity. He is out for the money, and the Mets need to first decide if Omar is their GM for 2011. If not, hire a new one (Kevin Towers?) and allow the new GM to hire Manuel's replacement.

Joe Torre is a bad fit, and the last thing the Mets need is to get caught soliciting Torre's services.

Employment Oppotunities With NY Mets

The Mets have employment opportunities for semi-qualified persons. Just watch video below to learn what positions, and how to apply.





Thanks go out to Greg & Lou, Outside The Boxscore

Pagan's Friday Night Scratch Explained

Angel Pagan, as we posted, was originally in the Mets starting lineup Friday night against the Braves. He wound up being a late scratch, with the Mets saying he was taking care of personal business.

The Daily News reported this morning that Pagan's youngest daughter, Briana, who is only two, was experiencing problems with her vision.

Pagan explained:

_________________________________________________________

"She started bumping into things, and having problems moving around. We were worried, so we brought her up to New York. We're blessed to be here, where the best doctors in the world can treat her."

__________________________________________________________

Young Briana's problem is an affliction called strabism or strabismus, which is "the inability to focus both eyes simultaneously, which can result in a cross-eyed appearance."

The Pagan and his wife Windy have their daughter scheduled to have surgery on September 29th in NY. A bit relieved, Pagan confessed:

__________________________________________________________

"She's OK, although we don't know if there are going to be other problems with her vision."

___________________________________________________________

Pagan did get a chance to hit in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and trailing 6-4, and typical of this season, he struck out. Understandable considering the emotional day he had. As he summed up:

____________________________________________________________

"When something is happening in your life, you can't bring it to the ballpark. If you have anything else in your mind when you're hitting up there, you're in trouble. I was still upset and tired after walking around all day, and being worried."
_____________________________________________________________

The Mets outfielder is glad that his daughter's surgery is in New York and while the Season is still on going. His wife and two daughters live in Puerto Rico, and will be up in NY for the surgery, and he will be able to be with his girls.

Dickey Goes For 12th Win: Mets Lineup V. Braves - September 19, 2010

Here is today's Mets lineup against the Braves, where they look to take at least one game. RA Dickey shoots for his 12th win, and the Mets attempt to get back to .500.

1. Jose Reyes, SS
2. Angel Pagan, RF
3. Carlos Beltran, CF
4. David Wright, 3B
5. Ike Davis, 1B
6. Lucas Duda, LF
7. Josh Thole, C
8. Ruben Tejada, 2B
9. R.A. Dickey, RHP

Source: Adam Rubin

Mets PR and Media would love a Joe Torre signing

As the Mets awake to there last game playing against 1 Icon manager Bobby Cox there is chatter about another  Icon who now is available to manage this beleaguered team and that would be Joe Torre.

Torre is steping down at the end of the season managing the Dodgers and will be avilable to manage in 2011 if he chooses.  Coming to the Mets might not be on his wish list but if he was to manage it has to be 1 of the teams he would want to manage since its where he started and where he has lived.

Torre, now 70, would be a PR media hit for the Mets since you know every day there would be questions about how he took the Mets job as sort of a diss to the Yankees.  Is Torre up for that type of task at 70 and are the Mets up for a manager that abuses his bullpen? 

I think Torre managing a team has run hits course. The guy is 70. Do you think he wants to deal with the Meddling of a new GM and the Wilpons on top of the Media?  Plus at this point in the game would he be more of a ploy to sell tickets instead of winning games?  Would Backman be a bench coach so he can be groomed?  

My take on Backman is that he is not ready yet so would Torre, who would command a huge salary be worth a 2 year deal ?  Betcha the Mets ticket office would say Yes.

I updated the manager poll and took the 2 top vote getters and added Torre. 

Mets Back To Old Ways In Losing To Atlanta

Lucas hit his first homerun, Duda, Duda
Lucas hit his first homerun, oh Duda day.


After a four game sweep and five straight wins, the Mets honored history last night by falling to the Atlanta Braves 6-4. The Mets, yes the Mets, did all the damage in the fourth inning when they allowed six unearned runs after holding a 3-0 lead.

The inning came apart when Wright had a throwing error, his 19th, trying for a force at second. The throw was low, and Tejada was unable to catch the ball. The throw was bad, but looked as if it should have been handled.

At that point Niese fell apart, being capped by a three run homer by rookie sensation Jason Heyward.

Lucas Duda, who is hopefully is getting more comfortable with big league pitching, hit his first HR, a shot into the Mo Zone.

Also keeping with history, Bobby Cox was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Homeplate umpire Bill Hohn had a quick trigger finger and ejected Cox two batters into the second inning.

Today the Mets look to get a win against the Braves and Tim Hudson on the Fox game of the week. Dillon Gee and his 0.69 ERA will take the hill for the Mets.

Sources: CBS Sportsline, Photo Courtesy ESPN

Bobby Cox's Last Series In Flushing: Mets Lineup V. Braves - September 17, 2010

Tonight launches the last series the esteemed Braves manager, Bobby Cox, will have in Flushing against the Mets. Since the mid-to-late 1990's, the Mets and Braves have had some epic battles, most of which resulted in Braves wins. There were the play-offs in 1999, where Robin Ventura hit his famous Grand Slam Single, as well as countless encounters both in Atlanta and NY.

But most noteworthy was the game on September 21, 2001 where the Mets and Braves played the first game at Shea after the horrific attack on NY City, Washington, and the fateful crash in Pennsylvania on July 11, 2001. In that game Mike Piazza hit what many might believe was the biggest HR in franchise history in leading a Mets come back 3-2 win against the dreaded Braves. After the game Cox said:

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"It was a great night. We were lucky to be here tonight for this, but I wanted to be on the winning side." ____________________________________________________________


Cox has managed the Braves for a total of 25 years; he managed them from 1978-1981, and again from 1990 to the present. Although I have always despised him, I can't argue the fact that he has been a Hall Of Fame manager, and if he is given any cheers tonight or this weekend, they are deserved.

Tonight's Mets Lineup:

1. Reyes SS
2. Pagan RF
3. Beltran CF
4. Wright 3B
5. Davis -1B
6. Thole C
7. Duda LF
8. Tejada 2B
9. Niese LSP

Sources: ESPN and Baseball Reference

Mets complete sweep Bring on the Braves!

Ok so it was only the Pirates but that shouldnt matter .  The Mets beat a team that constantly beats themselves and the Mets can feel good going into a series where they can play spolier. 

The Mets who have won 7 out of 10 going into this weekend series face a Braves team that is now 3 games out of first .  The Phillies have steam rolled past them . The Braves have stopped scoring runs and now face the Mets before they face the Phillies at Citizen bank.  The  Mets start the weekend over .500 for the first time since Aug 24th but they have to face Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson and the re surging Derrick Lowe. 

Mets now finish off there home stand against the Braves before heading out to Florida to play 2 games next week and then finish off there road games with 3 in Philly before returning home. 

Angel Pagan made some incredible catch last night in Centerfield and it had to get the Mets brass to notice that if Beltran doesn't improve in the off season Pagan should be the opening day Cf in 2011 regardless if Beltran is here or not. 

Wright Nears Milestone, Beltran Sits, Feliciano Starts - Mets Lineup V. Pirates - September 16, 2010

David Wright is two RBI shy of Mike Piazza for second on the Mets all time RBI list with 655. As with many offensive stats, Darryl Strawberry is the Mets all time RBI man with 733. Thanks to Adam Rubin for info

 
Beltran sits tonight as Mike Pelfrey will think of inventive ways  of dissing his manager.  Pelfrey is 2-1 with a ERA of 4.34 against the Bucs and beat them back in August.   Duda and Felicano flank Pagan in the outfield .

1. Reyes-SS
2. Feliciano-RF
3. Pagan-CF
4. Wright-3B
5. Davis-1B
6. Thole-C
7. Duda-LF
8. Tejada-2B
9 Pelfrey-RSP. 

Jenrry Mejia's MRI Results: See You In 2011

Kevin Burkhardt has reported that Mejia's MRI showed:


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"...a rhomboid strain of the right shoulder blade. Shut down until a full recovery."
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With only 16 games remaining, safe bet is we won't see Jenrry until 2011.

I'll ask it again: Was 2009 really just an aberration?

Mets win 3 in a row : first time in 3 months

Ok so its against the hapless Bucs who cant get out of there own way but pennant striving teams have not had the same skill at beating the Pirates as the Mets have.  The Mets fell behind 5-0 but rallied and beat the Bucs 8-7 even with Takahashi giving a lead off homer in the 9th. 

The Mets scored 7 runs in the 4th helped by the Pirates blowing a play at the plate that eventually scored 2 runs. The Mets had the bases loaded and Tejada hit a chop that the Bucs 3rd baseman Alvarez threw home and the catcher Snyder just let it go off the top of his glove .

Mejia only lasted into the 3rd inning before he was removed for shoulder/back stiffness. The Mets sent him for a MRI last night and I am sure he is more then likely done for the year.  Raul Valdes got the win even though he gave up 4 runs in a inning and 2/3rds .

Reyes hit his 10th home run of the season and Pagan & Beltran each had 2 hits. 

The Mets are now at .500 with 16 games to go before we can call it a season. Mets send Pelfrey to the mound against Morton of the Pirates as the Mets go for a 4 game sweep.

Evans & Tejada Rewarded With Starts: Mets Lineup V. Pirates September 15, 2010

Nice to see Jerry rewarding both Nick Evans and Ruben Tejada with starts after good games from both youngsters.

Today's lineup courtesy Kevin Burkhardt:

1. Reyes - SS
2. Pagan - RF
3. Beltran - CF
4. Wright - 3B
5. Davis - 1B
6. Evans - LF
7. Blanco - C
8. Tejada - 2B
9. Mejia - RSP

Reyes Scores 3 Times, Mets Beat Pirates 9-1

Last night the Mets busted out the whoppin sticks in defeating the lowly Pirates 9-1.



RA Dickey pitched a complete game in earning his 11th win against 6 losses.

Carlos Beltran (4) and Nick Evans (1) went yard. It's nice to see Evans contributing when given the opportunity to play.

Even Ruben Tejada got into the act, going 3-4 and raising his average above the Mendoza Line to a whopping .206.

The Mets actually had 3 two out RBI; Pagan had two and Evans had one.

Jose Reyes scored three times and was 2-4. In scoring three runs, Reyes surpassed David Wright and Howard Johnson, to move to second on the All Time Mets List for runs scored. Reyes is now second in Mets history with 629 Runs Scored. Darryl Strawberry is the All Time Mets leader in Runs Scored with 662.

If healthy and with the Mets next year, Reyes should surpass Straw for the lead. David Wright is right behind Reyes with 628 Runs Scored. Considering how much time Reyes has missed in his career due to injury, and how healthy Wright has been throughout his career, it's truly amazing how much Reyes has scored. It shows what a catalyst he is.

Courtesy of Adam Rubin, here is the list of the top five All Time Mets In Runs Scored:

1-Darryl Strawberry, 662
2-Reyes, 629
3-Wright, 628
4-HoJo, 627
5-Edgardo Alfonzo, 614

Other Sources: CBS Sportsline, Photos Courtesy ESPN

Nick Evans Rewarded With A Start: Mets Lineup V. Pirates - September 14, 2010

Nick Evans has been rewarded with his key RBI last night with a rare start. Tonight's Mets lineup courtesy of Adam Rubin:

1. Reyes SS
2. Pagan RF
3. Beltran CF
4. Davis 1B
5. Wright 3B
6. Evans LF
7. Blanco C
8. Tejada 2B
9. Dickey RSP

More Trouble For KRod

According to the Associated Press and ESPN NY, Mets "Closer" Francisco Rodriguez is facing new criminal charges.

There was an order of protection against Rodriguez, and it is being reported that he texted his girlfriend 56 times apologizing and wanting to get back together with her. Rodriguez will now be charged with Criminal Contempt.

Rodriguez is on the disqualified list, and has had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumb, which the Mets contend happened in the brawl with his girlfriends father.

The Mets need to remove this problem from the team. It's about time the Mets made players accountable for their actions both on and off the field. The Mets should, but won't, take a stand and release KRod, Castillo, and Perez.

Hopefully with these new charges levied against KRod will be the beginning of the end of his stormy Mets career.

Nick Evans and Ruben Tejada save the day

On a nite that was every bit a nite in the fall being damp and rainy,both these guys started the game on the bench.  Tejada, who was just starting to get into a groove, was sitting for the 4th game in a row until the 9th inning when he came in on a double switch as the Mets and Pirates were locked up in a 0-0 tie. 

Gee pitched 6 innings and was erratic at times but he pitched out of a couple of jams but at the same time the Mets shockingly couldn't do anything against the Bucs McDonald. 

Josh Thole played a good game defensively with throwing out a runner at 2nd in the 9th and gunning down the lead runner in the 10th trying to go to 3rd on a 2 inch in front of the plate sacrifice.

Of course there was Takahashi pitching the 9th and 10th without giving up a run but the starts were Tejada and Nick Evans. 

Chan Ho Park came in and gave up a 1 out double to Tejada off the left field wall and then Evans hit a single to left that scored Tejada and the Mets beat the Bucs 1-0. 

Why was Tejada on the bench and not starting the game?  Manager Jerry said pregame that he wanted Tejada to be saved and only hit against lefties to help him get his average over .200.  Last time I checked Park was a righty but what do I know.

Who should stay and who should go?

As the Mets brethen wake up to face another day of Mets futility just couple of things rumbling in my head. Yes the Mets need to make changes before the 2011 season on the field as well as the management but should the Mets just add some fringe players or trade some of there stars to get something hot spots in the field filled? 

Everyone wants to trade it seems Carlos Beltran and I am not one of them.  He needs to stay. If the Mets trade him they will get nothing for him due to his salary and no is ready to take a flier on the guy and his 18M salary. Now this is nothing against Angel Pagan who is having a great season except for the last week  or so where his average is coming down from the .300 mark to the high .280's  Pagan to me is the better centerfielder at this point on defense but who wants to have someone that is hitting 10 home runs when you dont know what you will have with Bay next year.  Beltran salary will stop the Mets from getting any decent return since there not going to eat his contract or even part of it if there not willing to even dump Olllie or Castillo who is only owed 6M for next year. 

Beltran needs the off season to comeback and be a force. Fans dont realize that even though he is back he is not up for the rgors of every dcay play yet.  Look at Delgado when he hurt his wrist. We thought he was done and then he gave the fans thrils with 2nd helf lights out perfromance in 2008. 

Should the Mets trade Ike Davis or Jon Niese?   It is great seeing these rookies perform but is Davis going to hit 35-40 homers and drive in 100 runs  and hit .280?  If not then the Mets should trade him this off season to bring back another solid slightly older player this is proven to play second or somewhere else.  Castillo will sit if he is with the team and we need someone that can hit .270 and drive in 50-60 runs while playing 2nd and that is not Tejada. 

Niese could get the Mets a very nice return since the Rookie is having a solid season. He has in at least 20 starts given up 3 runs or less . As a lefty the Mets could get a pretty good value in return. 

If the Mets want to compete in 2011 small moves are not going to make a difference it is time to be bold!

Mets try to beat Oswalt: Mets lineup September 12th

The Mets try to win the rubber game of a series for the 2nd series in a row as they take on the Phillies and Roy Oswalt.The Mets are 5 and 5 against Roy .  The Mets have Beltran back in the lineup more for the fact I am sure since he is the only one with some success against Oswalt. Batting .400 in 28 at bats.   The Mets try to win a series coming off a series win against the Nationals .  

Lineup-

Reyes SS
Pagan RF
Beltran CF
Wright 3B
Davis 1B
Carter LF
Thole C
Hernandez 2B
Niese P

Mejia taken to school by Phillies.

He did look good in the first inning but that was about it.  Mets rookie starter had alot of trouble with the Phillies lineup as Ryan Howard looks like he is back to his own self again along with Utley. 

The 2 of them hit home runs last night as the Mets bowed to the Phillies 8-4.  Utley has reclaimed his home run sections in the Mets right field corner with a 2 run shot off of Valdes in the 7th while Howard hit one to left center off Mejia in the 4th. 

Not sure why the Mets pitchers can not get 1 out when needed. Mejia could have escaped in the 4th instead he gave up a 2 out hit to Halladay that plated 2 runs. 

Mejia only lasted 4 innings and was tagged for 6 runs on 9 hits.  The Phillies layed off Mejia's off speed pitches and just honed in on his fastball. 

Reyes made his return and laced a double from the left side which was nice to see.

Carlos Beltran finally displayed some power and hit a home run into right field in the first row of the stands to give the Mets a 3-2 lead at the time but the Phillies finally found there pwer stroke at Citi Field. 

The Phillies run total was more then they had scored in the last 7 games combined at Citi Field .

Mets send  Pelfrey to the mound later today against the Phillies Kyle Kendrick.

Reyes Returns, Santana To Have Surgery - Season Over: Mets Lineup V. Phillies

Here is the Mets statement on Johan Santana (Rubin):

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“An MRI at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan yesterday revealed that Mets pitcher Johan Santana has suffered a tear of the anterior capsule of the left shoulder. The injury is located on the front and bottom part of the shoulder close to the pectoral muscle, resulting in discomfort radiating through both the pectoral muscle and shoulder. Santana will undergo surgery in the near future and we anticipate he will be able to resume throwing in the spring.”

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Not what the doctor ordered. This will be the third surgery in the last three years for Johan; After '08 he had surgery for a torn meniscus of his knee, after '09 he had surgery on his left shoulder, and now surgery again for his left shoulder. This is not a good sign considering there is still four more years on his contract.

Tonight's Mets lineup courtesy Steve Popper:

1. Reyes-SS
2. Pagan-RF
3. Beltran-CF
4. Davis-1B
5. Wright-3B
6. Thole-C
7. Duda-LF
8. Hernandez-2B
9. Mejia-RSP

Ed Hearn: Mets Key Role Player From '86 To Be Honored Friday

Ed Hearn. Many might not remember the name. He was Gary Carter's back-up for the 1986 World Champion Mets. He had a solid season, hitting .265 with 4 HR's in 136 AB's. His role, though might seem small, was very important to a dominant team.

Hearn was traded after the 1986 season for a no name scrub named David Cone. Hearn helped the Mets in many ways: his contributions in 1986 and the following year netted the Mets one of their best pitchers, David Cone.

Ed Hearn's baseball career sadly came to an end in 1988. He battled injuries after leaving the Mets, and after retirement was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). FSGS is a disease of the kidneys. He has had three kidney transplants due to this terrible affliction.

Hearn has served as Ambassador for The NephCure Foundation. This foundation funds research into FSGS and Nephrotic Syndrome. As of now, there is no cure for either disease.

Former Mets GM Jim Duquette will be in attendance. Duquette, who unfairly has been burdened with being the bad guy in the Scott Kazmir trade, has a daughter who also suffers from FSGS. Duquette serves on the of Board of Directors for the NephCure Foundation.

Through his difficulties, Hearn has become an inspiration. He wrote a book, Conquering Life's Curves, and is a motivational speaker who often visits hospital wards and dialysis centers.

A website has been set up for NephCure, www.savingkidneys.org, for fans to purchase tickets to the Mets-Phillies game with a portion of the cost donated to Nephcure and matched by research institutions including the University of Michigan. Hearn will also sign autographs at NephCure tables throughout the stadium.

Many times sports heroes are celebrated and honored. On this special night, a true hero...and former baseball player will be honored, and rightfully so.

Thanks to Mets Police for picking up the story and running with it.