Mets Merized Online

As you all know by now, the Mets acquired second baseman Luis Castillo from the Twins, for Minor League catcher Drew Butera and Minor League outfielder Dustin Martin. I think it’s a great deal for the Mets and here are four reasons why.

1. The Number Two Spot – The acquisition of Luis Castillo finally solves the never ending game of musical chairs that begun in Spring Training with David Wright and has since featured a dozen different players during the course of the season. Castillo has the ability to prolong the count and rarely swings at anything outside of the strike zone. He has no power to speak of, but is fast enough to leg out many an infield hit, and is quite adept at hitting them where they ain’t. The stability will do both Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran some good.

2. Defense – The addition of Castillo at second base will give Jose Reyes a more consistent double play partner with steady hands. He has above average range with a strong accurate throwing arm. He is a no-holds barred defender who will dive for anything he feels he can get to and he’ll make some dazzling plays in the field. He is a tremendous upgrade to the defense.

3.  Speed – His presence at the top of the lineup with Jose Reyes will give anxiety attacks to opposing pitchers. Castillo may not be able to steal 40 bases a season like he used to, but you can certainly put him down for 25 stolen bases this year. His speed also puts him among the league leaders in infield hits, year after year.

4. No Brainer – In essence the Mets gave up relatively nothing for his services. The prospects we gave up had little or no chance of ever making the team. Sure Castillo is a free agent at the end of the year, but because he is an A Type player, the Mets get a first round draft pick if he signs with another team. Bottom line… the first round draft pick is probably more valuable than what we gave up. It’s a win-win situation all around!

Another reason, though not as tangible as the ones I’ve mentioned, is that the Mets really needed to do something. A trade such as this creates a little bit excitement and brings some positive vibes to the clubhouse. All in all, a great trade for the Mets, and hopefully a prelude to another trade for a desperately needed arm in the bullpen. 

 I love New York. No, really, I mean it – I looooove New York. Born in Flushing just minutes from Shea, it was inevitable that I would grow up to be a Mets fan. Dad was a die-hard fan; so was Mom. Both were originally Brooklyn Dodgers fans, growing up in Brooklyn. So it was no wonder why they rooted for the team that brought National League baseball back to New York. Taking the blue from the Dodgers and the orange from the Giants, the Mets have held the hearts of their fans since day one, even through their toughest seasons.

May 27, 1990

A young girl and her father spend an afternoon at Shea, rooting for their favorite baseball team.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. There I was, 13 years old, scanning the yearbook for the cutest player to be my favorite. (C’mon folks, I was THIRTEEN!!) And while I know that wasn’t the first time I had ever been to Shea, it was the first game I really remember being at. It was beach towel day, yet particularly cool for late May.

Now here I am, 17 years later and my goodness, what has happened??? I went from being an only child to having 25 brothers from other mothers (and they vary from year to year!) I really do feel sometimes that the Mets are my family. When they hurt, I hurt. When they celebrate, I celebrate. The passion that runs through my veins for them is like nothing else I have ever experienced. I can’t even put it into words. All I know is for those of you who bleed orange and blue, I breathe it. I smell it and I taste it too. (Victory, that is.) And hopefully soon enough I will witness a World Championship, because I was too young and not yet enthusiastic in ‘86.

When I am feeling down or had a bad day at work (like today), I look forward to coming home and unwinding with my Mets. (Too bad it’s an off day.) Granted, they make me want to pull my hair out too sometimes, but it’s all worth it. What I would do just to spend even five minutes with the team – what a blast!!

In closing, I’d like to know if we have heard any updates on LoDuca’s injury??

PS…Looking at Luis Castillo’s numbers, I must say, I’m not impressed. BUT, since the deadline is finally here and the Mets need more help than what may be available, I guess I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for a strong remaining third of the season.

According to FOXSports, Mets acquired second baseman Luis Castillo from the Twins for Class AA catcher Drew Butera and Class A outfielder Dustin Martin.

Castillo will replace Jose Valentin as the starting second basemen. With the Twins, Luis Castillo is batting .304 with 18 RBIs and a .356 on-base percentage.

In my opinion, a great trade for the Mets. They didn’t give up any important players and we got a good second baseman.

Emerging from the depths of mediocrity midway through the Mets historical 2006 run to the NLCS was 26 year old John Maine. He arrived to the “big show” early in May after now former Met hurler Brian Bannister went down with a severe hamstring injury.

At that moment, not one single Met fan could tell you who he was, or where he came from. He yielded four runs and fell short of going a respectable six innings in his Mets debut against the Nationals, days later he was summoned to the disabled list due to blister issues. To say Met fans were not overwhelmed with excitement after his appearance would be a severe understatement

Maine was an under the radar throw in, along with since departed Jorge Julio, in the deal that sent Kris and Anna Benson to Baltimore last winter. Upon his initial call up with the Amazin’s, he seemed to be nothing less, and nothing more, just a throw in who could make the occasional spot-start.

There is no situation that seems to effectively shake the confident poise of the Virginia native. Much like teammate Oliver Perez, Maine seems to take the field every time out with a chip on his shoulder. Both were foolishly given up and cast away by their original clubs, who are currently starved for pitching. Likewise, each started their Mets tenures un-heralded and under the radar in Triple-A.

A magical electricity runs ramped whenever Maine gets the ball. His heart and emotion is evidently left out on the field, and he delivers with a passion that makes it clear why Mets fanatics claim to bleed blue and orange

His twelve victories in 2007 have all come in nothing short of dominant fashion. He posts a 2.92 earned run average after his start against Washington earlier today in which he did not allow a run and surrendered only a first inning hit before retiring 14 Nationals in a row.

There is an undoubting, confident trust that is being built between Maine and the Shea faithful. If he has not already, he is rapidly approaching acclaim and attaining the title of “Mets ace.” You would be hard pressed to find another starter who you would not hesitate to award them with the ball in a must win game and demand  from them a solid chance to win. In hindsight that is indeed what Maine strives to do each time out, and thus far he has been nothing short of brilliant.

It is looking like there will be no dominanting lead in the NL East in 2007 for the Mets.

I thought the Phillies might fall out of it when Chase Utley broke his hand, but then they added Tadahito Iguchi to fill in until he returns. We have a 4 game lead on both the Braves and the Phils. Not bad, but not great.

Last season, we finished 12 games over the Phils in the NL East standings. I would say that the second place team this season will finish within single digits games back.

Jose Valentin is probably out for the year for the Mets. Gotay is there now, but hopefully we’ll be able to get a second baseman by the deadline. Rumors on ESPN are pointing to Luis Castillo coming to the Big Apple. He is not a power hitter, but he hits for average and is a scrappy player that would fit right in. I wouldn’t mind him at all.

The Braves look like they are most likely to get Mark Teixeira from the Rangers, which wouldn’t bode well for the Mets.

Our batters really need to step up. Our offense has been better, but it needs to be consistent. You can’t go score 7-9 runs one game, and then 1-3 runs in the next game. That’s not going to get you very far.

The Mets need pitching, the Mets could really use an extra bat in the line-up. Omar Minaya should do something about this.

We are the Mets. This is New York. Lets get something done. 

LET’S GO METS!

Contributed by Joey Bealey

The Phillies wasted no time in replacing the injured Chase Utley by acquiring second baseman Tadahito Iguchi from the White Sox today for a Class A reliever that was not even one of their top ten prospects.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Iguchi, 32, was batting .251 with six homers and 31 RBIs in 90 games this season. In 16 games against National League teams in 2007, he hit .311 (19-61). A native of Tokyo, Japan, Iguchi batted .281 last season with 18 home runs and 67 RBI in 138 games and appeared in 12 playoff games for the White Sox in 2005.

The Phillies actually learned that Utley wouldn’t miss as much time as they had originally feared, and now believe he can return in 3 weeks or less.

Iguchi was considered the top available second baseman in the game and many thought that the Mets were targeting him after losing Jose Valentin for the season. 

Iguchi spent eight seasons with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League, where he was a four-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves as a second baseman. With Fukuoka, Iguchi hit .271 with 149 home runs and 507 RBIs and collected 159 stolen bases.

He was making $3.25 million this season with the White Sox.

I can’t believe the Phillies got a talent like Iguchi for a song, while we play tiddly winks on the sidelines.

By the way, Jorge Sosa continues to look bad out there and is getting torched in the early going of tonights game.

Ergh…

It don’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Mets are having some difficulties in a bullpen that was one of the best in baseball last season.

About the only pitcher the Mets can count on this season is their closer, Billy Wagner. He has been lights out this season and is clearly having one of his best seasons in close to a decade.

Pedro Feliciano is not too far behind Wagner as far as being a sure thing. The problem with Pedro is that he is mostly thought of as a lefty specialist and he doesn’t throw particularly hard.

As for the rest of the bullpen… Choose your poison.

Scott Schoeneweis was given a huge contract after a mediocre career to join the Mets and become their setup man. He has been a colossal failure.

Last years golden boy, Aaron Heilman, has been anything but. His inconsistency drives manager Willie Randolph crazy. Lately he has been on a good roll, but with Heilman, it can get ugly again real quick.

This years golden boy was rookie Joe Smith. He has already been sent packing after allowing a team high, 20 inherited runners to score after a fast start. His last appearance before hitting the bayou in New Orleans was particularly ugly when he allowed three straight hits with runners on base and allowed the score to get out of reach.

Perhaps the biggest target of the Mets fans ire is the former pill popper and admitted juicer, Guillermo Mota. Mota was also given a gaudy two-year deal that drew some fire in the off season. Despite his velocity being where it should be, his fastball is as flat as a pancake, and that contract is looking worse every time.

Aaron Sele has had his ups and down, but mostly downs.

So where are the Mets going to get some relief? Well, the team seems to think it’s in their minor league system with guys like Jon Adkins or Carlos Muniz. I, however just don’t see that saving the day in the long run.

No, my friends, the only real help lies beyond the shores of the East River. I would advise my friend Omar to "Go West, Young Man."

There is a world of talented and capable relief pitchers out in the trade market, and even though Omar Minaya is reluctant to pull the trigger on a trade, it may be the team’s undoing if he don’t.

It’s 2007 and this game has changed dramatically in the last 3 years The team with the best bullpen wins all the marbles… and that funny looking gold trophy with all the little flags on it.

Adam Rubin of the Daily News reports that Mets reliever, Joe Smith was sent to Triple-A New Orleans after today’s game. Smith allowed three hits and retired only one batter in todays game. For the season he had a 2-1 record and 3.03 ERA in 46 appearances.

Smith had become very shaky since the All Star break and has seen a ton of inherited runners score when he came into games. It is clear he has the talent, but it was also evident that the rest of the league had caught up to him and that he need to be sent down to refine his skills.

Here is what Joe Smith said recently to Marty Noble of Mets.com.

"Lately, my head’s been getting in the way. I know more about the hitters and about how the game is played [so much quicker than in the Minor Leagues]. But I’m not pitching as well. I need to get back to where I was."

See you in September, Joe. You can be sure that he will be back again this season.

Jon Adkins was one of the pitchers we acquired from San Diego for Royce Ring and Heath Bell. In 39 games for the Zephyrs this season, all relief appearances, Adkins is 1-3 with a 3.83 ERA. He has allowed eight home runs in 49.1 IP.

That’s a pretty high ERA for a AAA pitcher who is being asked to fill a prominent role in a major league bullpen. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best!

Hey everyone! We seemed to have had some technical difficulties this morning and early afternoon. I think everything is back to normal now. Thanks for being patient with us.

Now — lets root for a sweep of the Pirates at home!

LETS GO METS!!!