Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year.  As over one billion members of the Chinese community prepare to usher in the year of the snake, baseball enthusiast in Miami is pumped about 2013 – the year of the Marlin.  Before you assume there was a typo in that last sentence with me not pluralizing the word “enthusiast”, take a look at this tweet by Marlins beat writer Joe Capozzi. Of course, I [...]

Most of the time, when the Mets make a move I disagree with, I tend to write long-winded diatribes filled with bitter sarcasm and scathing remarks generally aimed at the person or persons responsible for the unfortunate transaction.  However, today I’m pressed for time so there will no 1,000+ word rant.  Instead, I’ll just be giving you the long and short of today’s Mets news, which as you’re about to read, couldn’t be more appropriate. [...]

A few days ago, my fav’rit Gal For All Seasons continued her new weekly series on a topic near and dear to her – what she likes to call post-traumatic Mets disorder – by discussing her survival of Lastings Milledge.   For those of you who have tried to block out the Omar Minaya era or were never a card-carrying member of the Milledge People, allow me to refresh your memory on who Lastings Milledge [...]

So far this off-season, three outfielders have said their final goodbyes to the Mets.  Jason Bay took his strikeouts and pop-ups to Seattle.  Andres Torres left in search of a ring in San Francisco.  And my wife’s ass is now on new Cubs outfielder Scott Hairston’s Wikipedia page.  It goes without saying that the Mets are in serious need of some outfield help. With Justin Upton joining brother B.J. and second baseman Dan Uggla in [...]

This was originally posted two years ago on January 11, 2011, and was written by the brilliant Ed Leyro. With all the fuss about the Mets outfield these days, I thought this was a nice reminder that at least where right field is concerned, it’s been 22 years and we still haven’t found a suitable replacement for Darryl Strawberry. So grab a hot cup of your favorite brew, pull up a chair, forget about the cold [...]

A Japanese pitcher, a catcher and a pitching coach walk into a bar.  Think you understand where this joke is going?  No?  Well, the protagonists of the joke didn’t understand it either.  But come Opening Day, they’ll have a better chance of getting it. According to Jayson Stark of espn.com, baseball owners have approved a new rule that would allow interpreters to join managers and pitching coaches on trips to the mound.  The new rule [...]

Although he finished his 18-year career with only 1,418 hits, an average of less than 80 hits per season, Ed Kranepool had remained the Mets’ all-time leader in hits for well over three decades.  That’s “had”, as is the past tense of “has”.  David Wright has now supplanted Kranepool as the team’s all-time leader with his 1,419th hit, collecting the landmark hit off Jeff Locke in the third inning of Wednesday night’s game against the [...]

The Mets have had a number of great catchers in their half century of existence.  Jerry Grote was behind the plate for two pennant winners, nurturing a young and dominant pitching staff.  John Stearns was a four-time All-Star who was at times the best player on his team.  Ron Hodges was always No. 2 on the depth chart but in his 12 seasons in New York, but was the perfect complement to Grote and Stearns. [...]

There is an old adage in baseball that says pitching wins championships.  The San Francisco Giants can attest to that, as they’ve won two titles in three years on the strength of their stellar starting rotation and deep bullpen.  But while pitching wins titles, it’s youth that keeps teams playing for championships. After winning four World Series in five seasons from 1996 to 2000 with a number of homegrown players who were still in their [...]

According to Jon Heyman, the Cleveland Indians are not opposed to trading some of their best players such as Asdrubal Cabrera, Justin Masterson and Chris Perez.  But the one player on the Indians that the Mets should have on their radar is outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. The Mets are going into the 2013 season with the always hustling but never producing Jason Bay in left, your guess is as good as mine in center, and some [...]

Hey, Mr. Alderson!  Need to retool your bullpen?  I’ve got your relievers right here! Twitter has been abuzz this afternoon with the news that former Yankees closer Rafael Soriano and Royals closer Joakim Soria are available for the taking, with Soriano opting out of his contract and Soria having his option declined by the Royals. As far as my own thoughts on the topic go, I can sum it up in two words.  (Or is [...]