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It looks like Ruben Gotay may actually be joining the New York mets to replace the injured Jose Valentin according to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News.

"Ruben Gotay is headed to New York with Park, confirming this morning's Daily News report that Jose Valentin is also headed to the DL, though the Mets have yet to announce that transaction."

Valentin flew to New York for an MRI after leaving Saturday's game with a "loose" feeling in the ACL area on the outside of his right knee. Valentin was told he may need another surgery but plans to rehab for now and come back within a month. Valentin admitted one motivation for postponing surgery is his $4.3 million contract for next year, which is guaranteed only if he reaches 400 plate appearances.

This is a big blow for the Mets anyway you slice it. Valentin gave the Mets a solid bat at the bottom of the lineup and was actually a better run producer in April than even Wright and Delgado. His defense and ability to turn the double-play will be missed by the pitching staff.

Obviously with no shortage of Mets news reporting, most of you should know by now about Orlando Hernandez going to the Disabled List this morning. Apparently El Duque has some bursitis that should be cleared up in a week or two. The Mets made the right move to DL him as they try to ensure he is in top form for the pennant drive later in the season. As our game analyst Andrew reported earlier, right-handed pitcher Chan Ho Park has been recalled from New Orleans (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League and will start tonight for New York against the Marlins. (read more about it on Andrew's series preview)

It appears that age may be catching up with the Mets a little bit. First Jose Valentin, then El Duque, and let me toss this into the ring...

Is Carlos Delgado completely healed from his off-season surgery? We all know how badly he has slumped, and of course we've seen this before with Delgado, but what if there's more to it this time?

Delgado had surgery back in October 2006 to repair carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist. He spent the off-season recovering but is mired in the worst hitting slump of his career and sports a dismal .183 batting average. He is also stuck in a dreadful power outage with only 1 home run in his last 120 at-bats. I believe the surgery could be more of a factor than the Mets (or Carlos) are letting on. The good news is that maybe as his wrist gets stronger his batting will get better as well. Only time will tell.

Join us tonight during the game for "Gameday Live" and chat with other Mets fans during the game. We will have an open thread starting at 7:00 PM EST. Hope to see you there!

LETS GO METS!

 

Posted by Joe D. at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Although when Willie came out of the dugout to argue a bad call made by the first base umpire, I was brought back to 1999, and the days of Bobby Valentine, when screaming into an umpires face was almost a nightly occurrence. After getting tossed, I half expected Willie to come back out into the dugout in a Groucho Marx Mask!

Posted by MetsGal at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

This blog was contributed from one of our readers, Kay Eltman. If you would like to see yourself published, feel free to send us your story and if we like what we read we will publish it.

On Tuesday I attended my second game of the year.  Baseball has been part of our lives of my family and sitting in the Mezzanine out in right field, I was reminded why I love this pastime and the simple innocence that gets lost sometime.
 
There was a young girl not more then 8 years old watching the game behind me with her Dad.  Father/daughter night out, almost a lost art these days, she was so hooked on this game and was asking all the right questions.  She was not there to gobble cotton candy, gulp vats of soda and just be on a sugar high, she was there to learn and her enthusiasm was infectious.
 
At one point I asked her if this was her first game and she said no, but her dad added that she was very little the last time, and now she really enjoys it and follows along.  I told her that I was about her age or so when I came to see the Mets for the first time, and I got to see Willie Mays hit a homerun that night, after a brief blank look, I told her to look him up tomorrow and she’ll understand. 
 
After the dramatic 10th inning with Damion Easley hitting the game tying homerun the her energy level rose to a new level, which after 9 innings of it I didn’t think it could get much higher, but I was wrong.  After the 11th inning her Dad said to her “We have to go, you have school tomorrow”.  Well she pleaded, as only a daughter could do with her Daddy and insisted, “I want to stay and see them win, I know they will”.  Dad gave in, and I’m sure he was glad to oblige because it ended just as she said it would, with a win.  She was jumping up and down and giving out high-fives to everyone around her. 
 
Perhaps I’m a romantic, but I’d like to think that in 35 years from now she’ll tell some young kid in the stands about her fun night at Shea, just as I told her how I saw the great Willie Mays.
 
Sometimes we get lost in the headlines of million dollar contracts and accusation of performance enhancement magic pills, but I’m glad the innocence of one little girl Met Fan brought me back to how it should be just root, root root root for the home team.
 
Ya Gotta Believe!
 
Kay Eltman

Posted by Joe D. at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

After a promising spring, young right hander Mike Pelfrey was called up in early April to take the 5^th spot in the pitching rotation. In his first start against the lowly Washington Nationals, he did show some promise, throwing over 5 innings, giving up only 2 runs but walked 4 in a no decision. The Mets later took the lead in the 7^th and won the game 3-2. Ever since then it has gotten worse. In a 7-3 loss against the Atlanta Braves, he pitched 5 innings, 6 hits, 4 earned runs and struck out 3. His most recent start against the Colorado Rockies was by far his worst start out of the three he had: 3 innings 8 hits, 6 earned runs and 1 strikeout in an 11-5 loss this past Wednesday.

So the question is, do they send Pelfrey down to work on his mechanics and call someone else to take the 5^th spot?

Well looking at the stats in Triple A, Jorge Sosa has pitched very well for the Zephyrs. He is 3-0 with a 1.38 era with 24 strikeouts in 26 innings of work. Jason Vargas could be another option also because he has pitched pretty well. Vargas is 2-1 with a 3.42 era with 19 strikeouts in over 23 innings. Young sensation Philip Humber is another option but based on his spring performances, it looks like he would need another year in the minor leagues before he is really ready.

If Pelfrey has another one or two bad starts, look for there to be a change because the Mets can not keep on losing every 5^th game. The team is going to get the attitude when Pelfrey is on the mound that he is not going to give them a good start and they will suffer from that. Pelfrey’s next scheduled start is on May 1^st at home against division rival Florida Marlins. Any start against a pretty good team in our division is a start that is thrown under the microscope of the fans. It is time for Mike to step his game up before it is too late for him and his stay here in the big leagues!

Posted by Brian Nemchin at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Let me first say that I am very impressed with how well the starting pitching has been so far this season. Aside from Mike Pelfrey, our rotation has met or exceeded my expectations. John Maine and El Duque have been phenomenal, while Tom Glavine and Oliver Perez have been solid. If I had to rank them, it would be in that order. My one problem with the rotation is with the number five spot that is currently occupied by Pelfrey.

I'm glad we gave Pelfrey a shot to contribute after some moderate success in Spring Training, but I think it's now time to do what is best for the team and for Mike Pelfrey and send him down to Triple A New Orleans or even Double A Binghamton.

It is obvious that he is not suited to be a major league pitcher just yet. When the worst hitting team comes into a pitchers park like Shea Stadium, and hits you like a piñata surrounded by a hundred candy-crazed kids, then it's time to do the right thing.

"I just kept throwing fastballs and they kept hitting it," Pelfrey said. "It's a bad combination when I'm not locating my fastball and I was too stubborn to throw anything else."

What really agitates me most about Pelfrey is that he refused to stop throwing fastballs to the Rockies despite the fact they were hitting him like crazy. It's OK to be that stubborn when you have already etched a name for yourself in the majors, but he has earned no such right. He persisted in shaking off his catcher again and again in each of his starts. He is in serious need of an attitude adjustment in addition to a full season in the minors so that he can learn how to pitch at this level.

Aside from throwing fast balls with no movement at all on them, Pelfrey has yet to show that he can throw anything else with any confidence. He was never a prospect with over-powering stuff to begin with, so why he went from the college level to the Mets with less than a couple of months of minor league experience is beyond me. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. Who knows. The scary thing about this whole situation is that if those fastballs (aka: meatballs) are supposed to be his best pitch, then why are the Mets brass raving about his stuff all the time?

The point is that the Mets are not in a position to give Pelfrey, and while we are on this subject, Ambiorix Burgos, "on the job" training.  We are here to win a title in what's probably the toughest division in all of baseball, the NL East. Unlike last year, where the Mets ran away with the division, this year will be much different and the difference between first place and second place might only be one game.

With that in mind, I urge Omar and Willie to stop dabbling in the uncertainty that surrounds Mike Pelfrey, and give someone else who is more deserving the same shot that Pelfrey got.

At Triple A New Orleans, Jorge Sosa is 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 26 innings. Jason Vargas and Philip Humber are also having a solid starts in New Orleans, both sporting 2-1 records with ERA's around 3.00. Haven't they earned the right to get a shot at this level also?

How many more wasted opportunities do we need before we make a change?

Like I said in my opening paragraph, the Mets' starting pitching has been great, but does that mean we shouldn't try to make it even better?

I'd really love to read your thoughts on this matter.

Posted by Joe D. at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

I should be preparing to go to sleep right now, but how can I? The Mets are tied with the Rockies 1-1 in the bottom of the tenth inning, and Endy Chavez is standing on second base, make that third base. David Wright is up to bat and I wonder if he can show me some clutch-ness right now. Clutchness is a word that I just made up that means; “The quality or ability to facilitate production when the pressure is at its climax”. Check Wiktionary to see the official definition. Wright ends up taking a base on balls. Result: inconclusive.

Baseball fans here in New York know that’s all that really matters. One could potentially have an MVP-like season in this town but if they don’t produce at the end of the game when it’s on the line, then they will be hated. In fact I think that the other 3rd baseman, Alex Rodriguez, has proved that he possesses absolutely no clutchness whatsoever. He could hit 73 home runs in the month of April alone but if he doesn’t demonstrate some form of clutchness in October than he will never be loved by Yankee fans.

I’d like to ask the reader this question, Does David Wright have Clutchness? It would appear that in the extremely small sample we have to judge on, No he does not have clutchness. In 37 career postseason at-bats he holds a .216 average with 3 doubles, 1 home run, and 6 RBI’s. I am not going to lie to all 5 and half of my faithful readers, I’m not so impressed. Anyone with a psychology background knows that 37 at-bats is hardly a significant enough sample to accurately determine whether or not David Wright has any clutch-ness at all.

My personal opinion is that he does have the potential to come through when it counts the most. I would tend to think that most Mets fans feel the same way. He may be in a slump right now but you can see it in his eyes when he is up to bat that he can concentrate enough to enter the “zone” where such greats as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and his teammate Endy Chavez regularly visit. Yeah, that’s right, Endy Chavez. The same Endy that jumped 10 feet in the air to preserve any chance the Mets had to win in last years NLCS Game 7. He also just won the game tonight. On his signature drag bunt.

The only ingredient that we as Mets fans need in order to cook up a World Series victory is for some of our players to have clutchness. It is not an inherited genetic trait. It can be learned. It can be gained through experience. Last year’s playoff run provided the Mets with some much needed experience. 12th inning wins in April are fun, but they are even better in October.

Posted by Dave Ponte at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

There’s no mistaking that Jackie Robinson was and is an icon. He crossed the color barrier, was a sparkling player, and forever changed the face of baseball. Every accolade he’s ever received has been richly deserved. He paved the way. Every celebration that has been held in his honor following his untimely passing– from each team retiring his number to last week’s series of celebrations where players paid tribute to him by emblazoning that number across their backs – has been emotional, wonderful and necessary. Having said that, I have a problem with the way in which the New York Mets, in particular, have immortalized the legendary player as one of their own.

It seems the organization – in addition to universal Major League Baseball homages – has done all in its power to honor the player. The team has already placed a statue in Robinson’s likeness at their Single-A affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones’ field KeySpan Park, and when their new stadium opens in 2009, it’ll include a Jackie Robinson Rotunda. They’ve held other ceremonies for the player, and have invited Robinson’s widow to Shea Stadium time and time again. Which, don’t get me wrong, is quite wonderful.

It makes sense for the organization to embrace Robinson the way they have: A large fan base come from former Brooklyn Dodgers fans, who turned to the Amazins’ to fill the void the blue and whites left when they moved to the West Coast. It’s nice to pay tribute to a great ballplayer many Mets fans watched at Ebbett’s Field. It also makes sense in that Mets owner Fred Wilpon grew up rooting for Brooklyn’s team.

But, it’s a little disappointing that the Mets can’t seem to embrace their own past but easily honors another team’s legend.  The Mets have yet to erect statues of greats like Hodges or Seaver. As a matter of fact, Seaver is the only player on the team who’s number is retired. That’s blasphemy.

In recent years, the organization has made great strides. It seems every ’86 Met has coached or managed in the minor leagues for them, and key additions like Ron Darling to the their announcer’s booth, Lee Mazzili in the studio (no matter how bad he is post-game), and Howard Johnson coaching at first base, are much appreciated.  Last year’s 1986 celebration was super. But, Mets fans need more of this.

With apologies to David Newhan, Keith Hernandez’s #17 should’ve been retired years ago. You can make the argument for Mookie’s #1 and “The Kid’s” #8 as well. It’d also be Amazin’ to see the press box at CitiField named after a real Mets legend: broadcaster Bob Murphy. Even though he was in the booth, he was the face of the organization for years. His distinct voice and impeccable way of painting a picture during each game is sorely missed.    And while we’re at it, find a place in the new field to honor Hodges, Agee, and Orosco. Not to take anything away from Robinson, but they all bled orange and blue.

Posted by Jon Chattman at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I don’t think I was the only Mets fan that was disappointed when we heard that Jose Valentin would be our starting second baseman in 2007. We had off-season dreams of Alfonso Soriano, Julio Lugo or Marcus Giles wearing the orange and blue. We even hoped that Anderson Hernandez could turn his winter ball success at the plate into a decent batting average in the majors. But no one gave Valentin much credit for being a solid second baseman, not even me.
 
When you have a 37 year old second baseman struggling at the plate the first 3 weeks of the season, questions arise as to whether or not he is worth keeping on as a starter, especially when reserves Damion Easley and Dave Newhan are capable of playing the position, and 24 year old Hernandez waits in the minors. I used to be a big advocate for playing Hernandez, figuring the defense he provided would make up for a batting average that hovered around the .150 mark. (Plus I really wanted to see the crazy dances he and Reyes came up with.)
 
Then I saw the plays Valentin was making. 16 games into the season and “The Stache” has yet to make an error. He has 41 put outs, 51 assists and has helped produce 16 double plays, many of which were game saving plays. To say his defense has been exceptional is an understatement.
 
The stats that show up on the scorecard don’t say enough about what Valentin does on the field. He’s been a mentor to Reyes and has the ability to change the momentum of the game with his glove. On a team with 3 young starters, having Jose, Jose and Carlos up the middle gives the kids breathing room and confidence on the mound. Great defense can also make an average pitching staff look good, or a good pitching staff look great, which could be one reason the Mets have one of the lowest team ERA’s in baseball. These are the things that don’t show up on the box score, but are essential to having a winning team.
 
In his 2nd season as the everyday second baseman, Valentin has shown signs of improvement. He had a good year defensively in 2006, committing only 6 errors. (I just have to point out here- Jeter has 6 already!)  He now has the experience to know where to play, and how to adjust to different batters and runners. His hands look quicker, his footwork looks better and he has become a potential gold-glove caliber second baseman. His contributions on the field definitely offset his lack of production at the plate so far this year. The bat will come around eventually, but for now, the Mets need the glove more.
 
Just for the record, however, Valentin might not be batting as poorly as you thought. Production has never been overwhelming from the 8th place batter on any team, but just take a look around the National League and see what other players batting 8th are doing at the plate. It’s not pretty. In fact, as of Saturday, Valentin leads the pack in RBI’s, is 3rd in doubles, 3rd in hits, 4th in on base percentage and 4th in slugging percentage. So next time you go to complain about Valentin striking out again, just remember it could be a lot worse!
 

Posted by MetsGal at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

 

The Mets now have the best record in the NL East and second best in baseball. Their hold on that distinction might be temporary or even tenuous at best, but I'm definitely a moment to moment type of guy, and this is a moment I'm definitely loving right now!

Some things are predictable in baseball, like Mark Prior and Kerry Wood having arm troubles, or Adam Dunn striking out over a hundred times, but I never would have predicted the Mets would come out of the gate looking like the powerhouse that they are!

What makes this early success even more remarkable is that two key components of this teams offense haven't even hit their strides yet. Of course I'm talking about Carlos Delgado and David Wright. Yes, I know Wright had that hitting streak and that he's hitting .306, but pardon me if I expected more than zero home runs and 4 RBI's after 17 games. Maybe Willie Randolph is tinkering with him in the two hole because he doesn't see him as the run producer the team needs batting 5th in the order?

What a great start Shawn Green and Moises Alou are off to! As you all know if you've been reading my blogs, I certainly expected a big year from Moises and called him the best move of the off-season, but I never would have guessed that Shawn Green would bust out in the way that he has. He is more patient at the plate and he finally ditched that upper cut in his swing for a more level swing that has made such a huge difference. It's nice to see him contribute because he really is a nice guy.

Will the real Oliver Perez please stand up! I swear he's gonna wear me down before this season ends. Either I'm jumping up and down cheering for him, or jumping up and down and screaming at him. He's going to get me evicted either way. Anyway, he pitched a solid game before losing it a little in the 7th inning on Saturday, and being that he beat the Braves I gotta give him bonus points so I'm he's back on my "nice" list.

One of our writers (Andrew) predicted that the Mets would lose the first game in the Braves series and sweep the day games. I think he nailed it. Glavine should easily win this rematch with Smoltz after losing to him in Atlanta. In that game Glavine out-pitched Smoltz who was in trouble in every inning but the Mets couldn't buy a clutch hit that day. Look for Tom to pick up win number 294 on Sunday.

Carlos Beltran just keeps getting better, and better, and better, and better... Is it too early for the MVP voting? Well then what about Player of the Month? OK, I guess we can wait one more week for that. He is without a doubt the hottest player in the National League! (you have no idea how bad I wanted to say "all of baseball," but then a million Yankee fans would have torched my car.)

"Now batting... number 11... Ramon Castro." Who ever thought those words would strike fear in the hearts of opposing pitchers? Is that why they play Darth Vader's' theme whenever Castro comes to the plate? After all wasn't it Yoda who said... "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." He sure has made some pitchers suffer lately. How about two thumbs up for the best backup catcher in baseball!

Posted by Joe D. at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Mets fan have to be definitely pleased with the way the Amazin’s came out the gate in the 2007 season with a 10-4 record, atop the NL East again.

The offense freakishly looks just as good, if not, even better than it did last year. The completion of a short road trip going 3-0 shows how effective they are in scoring runs away from Shea yet again. Most days it looks so easy for them to score runs, especially in the first inning. Everyone is surprised if this team does not score at least one run in the 1st inning now. In 2006, Mets fans were not used to seeing such a scoring rampage by any other past Mets teams, which is why watching this 2007 team play it is like watching a really good movie. Jose Reyes is the type of player that we could enjoy watching 365 days a year. This will team will score their share of runs like they did in ‘06 but it is just amazing to watch how well they do it almost every game.

The pitching staff despite missing a few important players, has seemingly came together. The starting pitching has had its share of issues of walks, but I think fans are starting to get more comfortable seeing a guy like John Maine on the mound every fifth day. Oliver Perez still has that factor of “what is he going to bring to the ballpark today” but with his stuff, he could definitely be able to throw a no hitter. The bullpen with their missing pieces has also come together and been effective. In ‘06 we did have bigger and better pieces and a more set rotation of relievers, but this ‘07 pen has held their own. Willie Randolph has really done a good job in learning what pitchers to use in what situation. He is not going to throw anyone out there that does not deserve to be in the game.

Could this 2007 team get to the World Series unlike the 2006 team?

Of course they can. They will just have to concentrate right now on getting away from the Braves in the standings and then the eyes will be 100% focused on the prize. I believe that this team, when everyone comes back from the disabled list will be the best Mets team that ever played. Even though they did not win in 2006, at least as Mets fans we can say that we had the most exciting team in the game and you have to feel for baseball fans that had to sit through a Cardinals-Tigers world series (except Joe Buck!).

Posted by Brian Nemchin at 01:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Looks like Paul Lo Duca will get a well deserved day off after bruising his hand Wednesday in the Phillies game. Although he attempted to play last night, the pain was clearly affecting his swing.

The interesting thing to note is that it is not David Wright replacing him in the two hole, or even Jose Valentin. It's Carlos Beltran! I love the look of this line-up, what do you guys think??

1. Reyes - SS
2. Beltran - CF
3. Alou - LF
4. Delgado - 1B
5. Wright - 3B
6. Green - RF
7. Castro - C
8. Valentin - 2B
9. Hernandez - P

Lets complete the sweep and head back into Shea on a high note!

I'm expecting tons of offense tonight from the Mets and a great effort by El Duque!

Go Mets!

Posted by Joe D. at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night, the Mets first six batters to come to the plate got on base against their old nemesis Dontrelle Willis. It started with a lead-off single from Jose Reyes, then an error on Miguel Cabrera. Carlos Beltran singled in one run and Carlos Delgado followed with an RBI double. David Wright reached on an error by Hanley Ramirez, scoring a run, and Moises Alou singled in a fourth run as the Mets sent 10 men to the plate in the inning. Dontrelle Willis came into the game with an 11-2 record and a 2.02 ERA against the Mets.

After Maine's pitching gem last night, he is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his three starts. He didn't allow a hit until Miguel Cabrera hit a soft line drive for a single in the 7th inning after a debatable "no swing" call by the umpire on a potential strike three. Maine was sharp all night and tied his career high with seven strikeouts. He continues to improve and may actually become the Mets unofficial ace by next season! (That's assuming we don't sign Johann Santana in the off-season, hint, hint!)

Last night Lastings Milledge went 4 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs scored and 2 stolen bases. He is batting .316 and hitting in the clean-up spot since being sent down to New Orleans. I can't wait until lastings becomes a permanent fixture in the New York Mets outfield. If you haven't guessed by now, Mets Merized is a huge fan of lastings Milledge!

Today's Mets Trivia Question: Who was the only second baseman to win a gold glove for the New York Mets?

Yesterday's answer was Todd Hundley.

Posted by Joe D. at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

An amazin' victory for the Mets tonight as they pounded their nemesis Dontrelle Willis and beat the Marlins 9-2!

The warm weather definitely agreed with the Mets batters as they exploded for 9 runs on 16 hits!

They scored 4 runs out of the gate in the first inning!

Carlos Beltran led the offense with 3 hits including his third home run of the season. He drove in 3 runs and scored 2.

Valentin is getting hot and has 7 hits in his last 3 games including 4 doubles!

Jose Reyes had 4 hits today with an RBI and 2 runs scored!!! He is on fire!!!

Enough about the offense because the real star of the show was John the freaking Maine man!!!

He pitched 6 no-hit innings tonight and didn't allow a hit until the 7th to Miguel Cabrera who got a free strike from the ump who called a "no swing" on an obvious strike 3 call! He then gave up a 2-run shot later in the inning, but make no mistake this was a huge effort from Maine!

This was a fun game to watch and I hope most of you got to see it!!

Incidentally, what the heck is the deal with that damn AFLAC duck?? I swear I want to scream every time he interrupts the game with his annoying quack!!!

It was great to see LoDuca back behind the plate! The guy's a freaking gamer!

Keith Hernandez seemed to have a huge problem with Borat during the game. Borat could not be reached for a comment.

Let sweep these fishies tomorrow! GO METS!

Posted by Joe D. at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

It's nothing but blue skies and sunny temperatures for the New York Mets, at least for the next two days. Hopefully the warm weather will translate into some long balls for Beltran, Delgado and Wright! Are 3-4-5 hitters have combined for a total of two home runs so far this season, and both of them came from Carlos Beltran in one game! Here are the starters for the short two-game series against the upstart Florida Marlins.

Game 1

NYM: RHP John Maine (1-0, 1.54 ERA) - Maine, who has lost his lone start against the Marlins, has a 4.99 ERA and 4-2 record in 10 career starts on the road.

FLA: LHP Dontrelle Willis (3-0, 3.32 ERA) - Willis has an 11-2 record and 2.02 ERA in 16 career starts against the Mets. He has beaten no other team so often. Willis has averaged 7.23 innings per start against the Mets. He also has three home runs and eight RBIs in 46 at-bats against the Mets.

Game 2

NYM: RHP Orlando Hernandez (1-1, 4.00) - After two effective starts, El Duque was battered by the Nationals his last time out. He was removed -- by the home-plate umpire -- four batters into the sixth, having allowed three home runs among eight hits. The last of his 98 pitches struck opposing pitcher Shawn Hill and prompted umpire Mike Winters to eject Hernandez. The Braves scored one run in six innings against him April 8.

FLA: RHP Rick Vanden Hurk (0-0, 3.86) - A rain-out last Saturday in Atlanta bumped the rookie back from a start on Monday in Houston until this game against the Mets. Vanden Hurk looked impressive in his Major League debut against the Brewers, although his day was halted because of a 49-minute rain delay with two outs in the fifth inning. Vanden Hurk's line was one run on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three, throwing 84 pitches.

Injury Update - Paul LoDuca went for x-rays that came up negative. He is going for additional tests today and as of this afternoon the Mets are saying he will be a game time decision for playing tonight.

Players To Watch

David Wright has 5 Home Runs and 29 RBI against the Marlins. Jose Reyes has stolen 14 bases, and has 34 runs and  49 hits in 48 games against the Marlins. Julio Franco has two doubles, four walks and a .316 batting average in 42 at-bats against Willis.

Dan Uggla's five hits against the Mets on Sept. 11 was the most by any Marlin in a game last season. Cody Ross had three home runs that same day, also a team season high. Miguel Cabrera has 43 RBI in his career against the Mets, his fourth most against any team. Josh Willingham has hit .338 in his career vs. the Mets including .358 (24-for-67) last season.

TODAYS TRIVIA QUESTION: Last season Carlos Beltran tied a Mets single season record for home runs with 41. Who does he share the record with?

Posted by Joe D. at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

(I am watching the Tuesday 4/17, Mets vs. Phillies game during the creation of this article and noting my in-game thoughts in parenthesis throughout)

If you are perusing Metsmerizedonline.com then it is safe to assume that you are a dedicated and passionate Mets fan. You probably race out of work just so you can crawl through traffic or squish in between two fat guys on the 7 train on the way to the rickety old ballpark. You may even be that fat guy for all I know.  (Alou dinger! Gary coincidently just mentioned that the middle of the order hasn’t hit a homer all year). Either way, I would like to give a theory on why people, sports fans, and more specifically Mets fans live vicariously through their sports team. (We are going to set the MLB record for double plays this year.)

I am going to try to write this without getting too theoretical, but admit it—when the orange and blue are playing well you are in a better mood, emit more confidence, smile 27% more, and have something to look forward to every night. Does that mean you are a big fan, or does that mean that you actually are a living and breathing New York Metropolitan? I’m not implying that you are literally on the team and that there is a Fred Wilpon signature followed by a lot of numbers and commas on your paycheck. I mean that when you look in the mirror it is like you are going out there with the purpose of trying to beat another team. In a certain, very philosophical sort of way, aren’t you doing that? (Keith has a man-crush on Belran “look at his long graceful strides…sigh” he utters. LOL)

Many of us identify with sports very well—the competitive nature is what attracts many of us. We live and die with how the team performs. We strive to be good at what we do. No, we all aren’t famous ballplayers. Most of us don’t make tons of moolah or have jobs of great importance. Some of us may just deliver bread for a living, drive a bus, or even sell interactive ad server, operation, and workflow management software…holla! (Utley is such a pest) We all have our own way of winning a 3-game set or the “World Series”. Each day you have tasks to complete or goals to accomplish. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you just wake up trying to get a decent bacon, egg, and cheese with a proportionate amount of salt, pepper, and ketchup. (Ryan Howard? Bases loaded? No fastballs for him!)

Whatever you do each day you behave and “play” life like it’s a baseball game. Perhaps you’re like Willie Randolph in the dugout, hoping that you don’t leave the pitcher in too long. (Ah hem) Perhaps you’re a facilities manager at a wholesale paper manufacturer hoping that you don’t hire the wrong vendor to control your distribution routes. Maybe you’re like David Wright and you’re riding a 24 game hitting streak. Maybe you’re a deli owner and your riding 24 straight years in business. It could be that you are like Mike Pelfry, a young rookie trying to show the team that you can produce instantly. It could also be that you are a new-hire at an advertising company and you need to start closing deals right away. (Glavine really lulls hitter’s asleep with that changeup).

(If Endy is playing in left, he prevents that double, but we would be tied instead of three runs up from Moises two dingers) We go out there and compete every day. We have our own versions of the Braves, Phillies, Nationals, and of course the Yankees in our lives. Sometimes they win, sometimes we do. You probably have friends like Jose Reyes that will steal a couple of bases for you so you can knock in some runs. You certainly have enemies like Jimmy Rollins or Larry Jones that either talk a little too much or just seem to always show up at the wrong place at the wrong time. (I love when Jose leads off then sprays a single that inevitably lands him on second base.) Maybe you have a Julio Franco in your corner that gives you sound advice when you need it before a clutch at-bat.  Have you ever had a relationship that you wished was different? Was there ever a time when you dumped a good “long term prospect” (Scott Kazmir) for that hot girl next door that you thought could bring you to the Promised Land, but it turned out that she was just a bitch (Victor Zambrano)?  Okay that may be a little bit too much, but I hope you get the point. Just remember that the next time you are on a crowded train or subway between two fat dudes, it’s not much different than sitting between Beltran and Wright in the batting order. (Thanks for reading)

Posted by Dave Ponte at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Monday’s rain-out in Philadelphia has been rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on Friday, June 29. This game will be at 1:05 with a 7:05 game to follow. Sunday’s rain-out with the Nationals has been set for Saturday, July 28 at 12:10 p.m., also as the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

Speaking of doubleheaders, Mike and the Mad Dog were arguing with a caller the other day who was lamenting the fact that MLB does not schedule doubleheaders anymore. The Dog brought up some interesting points during his rant that actually had me siding with him. He said that back in the day, a ballgame was only 2 hours long, and given the fact that today's games run 3 hours or more, he didn't think anybody could actually sit through 7 hours of baseball when you consider the break in between games. I hate to say it, but he's probably right. I can't believe I actually agree with him... I guess hell finally froze over.

It looks like Pedro Martinez is doing a lot better than expected and could rejoin the Mets by the end of this month. The Mets are extremely pleased with his progress and now want to monitor him closely. Ever since he began throwing in spring training, he now has shown some pop to his fastball which has his trainers all smiles. The Mets are still reluctant in moving up his return date, but if he keeps making progress you can bet the Mets will get him back on the mound sooner rather than later.

Hey, you have to check out the photos of this die-hard Mets fan's house in Brooklyn. Now that's what I call being true to the "Orange and Blue!"

Baseball America wrote that Fernando Martinez is the best power hitter and average hitter in the Mets organization. They also said that Carlos Gomez was the fastest and also the best athlete!  If you haven't already read their entire article, check it out. The future of the Mets is very bright and promising indeed!

FREE METS TICKETS! Congratulations to Christopher Willoughby from Brooklyn, New York, who was randomly selected from over 200 different entries! Chris correctly answered "Sid Fernandez" to our Mets "Who Am I" question on Sunday. Chris gets to see the Mets battle the Marlins on Monday, April 30th. Chris, your tickets are on the way!

Posted by Joe D. at 06:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Here is your chance to win a pair of FREE TICKETS to see the Mets play against the Florida Marlins on Monday, April 30th!

During our first two Mets Tickets Contests, we asked you questions about the 2006 Mets. This time we will take you back to the magical season of 1986. Here goes...

I was born in 1962 in Honolulu, Hawaii. I broke into the major leagues at age 20 with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1983 and was traded to the Mets soon after. In 1986 I started 31 games for the New York Mets and went 16-6 with a 3.52 ERA. I also had a career high of 200 strikeouts that season and was elected to my very first All Star Game. During Game 7 of the World Series that season, I came out of the bullpen and retired seven straight Red Sox hitters including four by strikeouts. Who am I?

We hope you have fun with this!

Enter your answer right here by leaving a comment on this blog. Make sure you include your URL or your name so that we can contact you if you win. A winner will be randomly chosen from all the correct answers received. Deadline for submitting your answers will be 12:00 PM EST on Monday.

We hope you think of Mets Merized whenever you need tickets to see the Mets or any other sporting event or concert!

Posted by Joe D. at 04:28 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

David Wright extended his hit streak with a little 2nd inning blooper off of Nationals pitcher Shawn Hill in yesterday’s game. The questions is, does that make it 23 consecutive games in which Wright has delivered a hit, or only 11? Wright had a hit in each of the last 12 games of the 2006 season, though he did go hitless in 3 games against the Cardinals in the NLCS. Is it fair for a hit streak to span the course of 2 seasons, when most every other statistic in the baseball record book goes season to season?
 
If not, then I’d love for our friend JIM-MY ROL-LINS to be bumped from the 8th to the 9th spot in the record book for longest streaks of all time. If not, Wee Willie Keeler and Pete Rose would share the National League streak record of 44, instead of Keeler claiming it as his own at 45, because he hit safely in the last game of the 1896 season as well as in the first 44 games during the 1987 season.
 
But let’s face the truth here - no one will ever break the unbreakable record of 56 consecutive games with a hit, set by Joe DiMaggio in 1941. That’s not what the controversy is with Wright’s streak. With a hit in today’s game, (if it’s not rained out) David Wright would tie the Mets club record of 24, set by Hubie Brooks in 1984 and again by Mike Piazza in 1999. Brooks has somewhat faded into the Mets’ history books, but none of us will ever forget Mike Piazza and what he brought to this team.
 
Despite David’s popularity, whenever a Mets’ legend is surpassed, it’s a big deal. This could become a subject of great debate between the Mets’ faithful if Wright does get a hit in the next 2 games to pass Piazza. Perhaps an asterisk would solve the debate!
 
Many (including Wright himself) believe that if the rules of baseball allow for a streak to carry over from the previous year, then it should be viewed the same way as a streak that is restricted to one season. Wright said, “The parameters of a hit streak allow it to be, so I guess it is considered one.”
 
Willie Randolph thinks the opposite, saying, “For me, personally, I don’t see it that way. I think streaks should be during one season.”
 
As much as I love Mike Piazza and respect Willie Randolph, I’ve got to go with David on this one. If streaks separated by an off-season have been counted before, why should this time be any different? I admit it’s a little less impressive, especially with Wright’s performance in the postseason last year, but it should still count. I’ll be rooting for David in today’s game. And who knows- maybe he will get a hit in the next 14 games to extend his 2007 streak to 25, then all the controversy would be forgotten!
 

Posted by MetsGal at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm really starting to get concerned about the starting pitching. It just seems to me that our current starters will be good enough to compete all season long, but not good enough to get us to the World Series. I'm not trying to knock the team that I love so much, I'm just expressing how I feel after only 11 games of a 162 game season.

We were all happy to see Mike Pelfrey make the team this spring. But soon after being declared the 5th starter he proceeded to fall apart in his remaining Spring Training games, and then got smacked around for a couple of starts in the Single A League. We were all told he was working on things by Willie and Omar, and then he finally pitches on Friday and looked nervous and over matched at times. The Mets won the game but if it were not for the defense producing 3 more double plays, it might have been a different result. I really wasn't impressed at all by his performance.

Then of course we have Oliver Perez. The kid is a mystery wrapped in a riddle or whatever it is the Riddler said on Batman. I think what we've seen from Perez in his last two starts is exactly what we can expect to see in his next 30 starts. That means 10-12 wins at best. I love Perez when he has is "A" game, but 7 walks??? I think Ron Darling hit the nail on the head when he said that "a pitcher who walks 7 batters in one game has no business being a major league pitcher."

Now we come to John Maine. I think Maine is the best number 5 pitcher in baseball, or even a decent number 4 pitcher. The problem is that the Mets have him pitching third in the rotation. Maybe Maine can grow into a number three pitcher by the end of the year, but he remains to inconsistent to bank on a quality start each time he takes the mound. I think he is the best hope for the Mets out of the three young pitchers for this season.

We've seen so far how dominating Glavine and Hernandez can be at times. Unfortunately we've also seen how frail and ineffective they can be as well.

Where are our 95 wins coming from exactly? Can somebody please tell me because I just don't see it.

Yesterday I shared my concerns with John Delcos of Newsday. He is the Mets beat writer and covers them day in and day out. Here is how he replied...

"I’m not sold on the starting pitching either. I never have been. It has been good so far, but there are enough legitimate questions to have Omar Minaya testing the trade waters. Nothing is imminent because it is too early in the season, but toward the trade deadline you can expect things to heat up. The reports are encouraging on Pedro Martinez, but the Mets can’t take it for granted he will come back."

I feel a little let down by the Mets pitching going all the way back to the Atlanta series. Maybe if just one of our five starters showed that he can be consistent and dominating I wouldn't be as concerned, but none of them have. El Duque actually had a shot at it until todays laugher at Shea against the lowly Nationals.

If we have to wait until the trading deadline in July, or until Pedro comes back in August for pitching help, I think it might be too late. Last year we had an exceptional bullpen to save our shaky starting pitching. I don't know if this season's bullpen is up for the task, but I pray that it is.

Posted by Joe D. at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

This Week's Roster Moves

The Mets made only one move this past week. The Mets signed Jason Alfaro (3B) to a Minor League Contract. The last time Alfaro played in the majors, was in 2004 for the Houston Astros. I don't see him being on any Major League roster in the near future.

Juan Padilla had surgery on Friday for a slight tear in his flexor tendon.

Mike Pelfrey was added to the 25 man roster and Lastings Milledge was sent to AAA to make room for him.

Minor League News

AAA - New Orleans Zephyrs (5-3)

4/8/07 - The Zephyrs' third game of the season was postponed due to rain. They had day-night doubleheader the next day. The Zephyrs swept the doubleheader and won the series. In the first game, Jorge Sosa (1-0) threw six shutout innings. Lino Urdanetta got his second save despite giving up two runs. In the second game, Chan Ho Park (1-0) and another reliever pitched a two-hit shutout. In Game 1, the Zephyrs knocked in all the runs in the 4th inning. Carlos Gomez (CF) got a base knock in the game. Ricky Ledee (LF) and Fernando Tatis (3B) got the RBIs for the game. In Game 2, Anderson Hernandez (2B) had two hits, including a double. Carlos Gomez (CF) then drove him in with a single. That was the only run of the game.

4/9/07 - The Zephyrs started a series with the Memphis Redbirds, (St. Louis Cardinals' AAA affiliate). The Zephyrs won the game 5-2. Adam Bostick (1-0) went five innings surrendering two runs, but striking out four. Clint Nageotte was hitless as he went three innings, while striking out four. Lino Urdanetta got his third save with a hitless 9th. Five players had a multi-hit game for the Zephyrs. Carlos Gomez (CF), Andy Tracy (1B), Ricky Ledee (LF), Fernando Tatis (3B), and Sandy Alomar Jr. (C) all had two hits. Tracy had a HR while knocking in three.

4/10/07 - The Zephyrs continued their series with the Redbirds. However, they lost 14-3. Philip Humber (1-1) wasn't his best Tuesday. He went three innings, giving up four hits and four runs. However, he did strike out six. Steve Schmoll was horrible. He went two and a third giving up six runs on seven hits, all earned. Carlos Gomez (CF) remains hot as he went 1-3. His average as of 4/10/07 is .400. Mike DiFelice (C) went 2-3 and had a HR to go with his two hits. DiFelice also knocked in two.

4/11/07 - After a tough lost against the Redbirds, the Zephyrs won the third game of the series, 6-1. Claudio Vargas (1-0) got the start and went six solid innings giving up eight hits. Jon Adkins relieved the final three innings, and received the save. Adkins only allowed one hit in his three innings of work. The story of the night was Andy Tracy (1B). He went 3-for-4 including two HR's and three RBI's. Carlos Gomez (CF) continued his hot bat, going 1-for-4 with an RBI.

4/12/07 - The Zephyrs fell to the Redbirds, 7-3, as they split the series. Jose Santiago (0-1) went 4.1 innings and allowed four earned runs in the lost. He also walked one and gave up five hits. Clint Nageotte went 1.2 innings and gave up a HR while striking out two. Carlos Gomez (CF) hit a triple, his first of the year. The biggest pop of the night belonged to Chip Ambres (LF) as he hit a solo shot in the 5th innings.

AA - Binghamton Mets (1-2)

4/9/07 - The Binghamton Mets had its first game of the season on Monday against the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers' AA affiliate). However, they were shut out 8-0. Kevin Mulvey (0-1) had a bad start. He only went an inning and a third giving up seven runs while walking four. Ricardo Morales and Marcelo Perez relieved Mulvey and combined to strike out eight over 6.2 innings. Fernando Martinez (CF) was the Mets best hitter as he went 3-for-4.

4/10/07 - The Mets came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the SeaWolves in the 11th inning. Jose Sanchez got the start and went four innings surrendering two runs. Three relievers backed up Sanchez to throw a two-hitter, while striking out 10. Carlos Muniz got the win as he threw two perfect innings. Fernando Martinez (CF) tied the game in the 8th inning with a solo HR. He was batting .625 and is lighting up AA. Mark Kiger (2B) hit a run-scoring double to spark a two run 11th inning that put the game away for the Mets.

4/11/07 - After a win against the SeaWolves, the Mets lost 12-4. Marcos Carvajal (0-1) started, and was hit hard by the SeaWolves. He went four innings allowing twelve hits and nine runs, all earned. Miguel Negron (RF) hit a three-run HR in the 5th inning as he was the leading RBI producer for the game. Caleb Stewart (LF) had a solo shot in the 3rd inning.

A (adv.) - St. Lucie Mets (5-2)

4/7/07 - The St. Lucie Mets faced the Devils Rays again and defeated them 7-6. Mike Pelfrey went six good innings giving up only three runs on five hits. He also struck out two. Eric Brown (1-0) picked up the win after blowing the save. Kevin Tomasiewicz picked up the save. Sean Brown (SS) hit the game winning HR in the bottom of the 8th that gave the Mets the lead. Dustin Martin (CF) went 2-for-5 with two RBI's.

4/9/07 - The Mets rallied past the Devil Rays to sweep them in the four game series, 5-3. Robert Parnell got the start, but only pitched four innings. He gave up three runs and six hits, while striking out five. Nick Abel (1-0) relieved and got the win. Eddie Camacho picked up his first save of the season as he closed the win. Dustin Martin (CF) went 3-for-4 with a double while also driving in a run. He also stole a base.

4/10/07 - The winning streak came to a screeching halt as the Mets were blown out by the Palm Beach Cardinals. They lost 14-1. Jose De La Torre (0-1) started and gave up four runs in only 2.1 innings pitched. Kevin Tomasiewicz wasn't so great either. Tomasiewicz went an inning and two-thirds, but gave up seven runs on only five hits. With the exception of Jacob Ruckle, the Mets pitching was bad. The only positive of the hitting was Nick Evans (3B) as he hit a solo HR in the top of the 9th.

4/11/07 - The Mets got shut out 2-0. Deolis Guerra (0-1) got the start and wasn't bad. Guerra went five innings allowing six hits and only allowing two runs. Two relievers combined to allow only two hits in three innings. Nick Evans (1B) was the only hot bat of the night. He went 3-for-4 including two double.

4/12/07 - After being shutout, the Mets came back to win the game against the Cardinals 5-2. The Cardinals played some scratchy defense as they let this game slip away. Jonathan Niese (1-0) was superb in his outing. He went five innings striking out five, while only allowing two runs. Eddie Camacho pitched two innings, and got the save. Sean Henry (SS) was the hot bat of the evening, as he went 2-for-4 with two doubles. He also drove in a run.

Mets Rumors

Tom Glavine has a player option with the Mets for 2008 if he pitches at least 160 innings in 2007. His value could increase from $9 million to $13 million if he pitches at least 200 innings. If Glavine decides to play another year, he said the same situation will apply as last year, he could play for two teams, New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves.

All news courtesy of MiLB.com, ProSportsDaily, and NYTimes.com

Posted by Ryan Punzalan at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It is just about two weeks into the season now; a good time for managers to get a feel of what their team’s strengths and weaknesses are along with which players to put in at a certain situation. Willie Randolph is doing that right now with the bullpen. The starting lineup is the strength of this team, where the only ways he would be tinkering with it would be on players days off or, god forbid, an injury occurs.

With Aaron Heilman’s elbow tendinitis, the team is keeping a close eye on him and are picking their spots in when he is going to pitch. This season will be a little different for Heilman. Instead of situations where he would pitch a whole inning, he would be only called when the team needs one or two key outs late in the game. So far, he has done a pretty good job but it leaves him a whole lot less room for error.

Joe Smith has been very productive in the late innings, more so than any other reliever in the pen right now. Ambiorix Burgos has only pitched well when the Mets were up big so far. His test against the Phillies on Opening Day at Shea failed for him when he gave up a three run home run to Ryan Howard. I still think they should have walked Howard in that situation. Anyways, he still needs to work things out with his control but he has looked good despite that one game.

Scott Schoeneweis has done a very good job also, getting the lefty hitters out which is what he came here to do. He is more of the type of pitcher to just come in in a inning where there are predominantly lefty batters due up to bat.

Pedro Feliciano is definitely the pitcher that most Mets fans feel comfortable out there when it comes to pitching a full inning. Even when Billy Wagner comes on to pitch, fans are a little weary of what he is going to do out there.

Willie will have to play around each game with what reliever he is going to want to use, depending in what situation the team is in. This is not the same bullpen as last year where they had three relievers (Heilman -7^th, Duaner - 8^th, Wagner -9^th) to pitch their respective innings to close the game out. There will be a lot more pitching moves until Duaner and Mota come back to solidify the pitching staff. That would then make this bullpen a formidable one in baseball.

Posted by Brian Nemchin at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

What a terrible outing for Oliver Perez!!!

73 pitches, 7 walks, and a hit batter in only 2 2/3 innings! He was lucky to get out of it with only 3 runs allowed.

Just when you think this kid turns the corner, he pitches a stinker like this. It's the reason the Pirates gave up on him...

Sele came in to relieve and actually looked solid at times. I had no idea he had such a great hook on his curve.  He ended his outing by giving up a couple of runs on 4 hits in 4 1/3 innings pitched.

Feliciano and Smith pitched solid in relief despite being squeezed by the umpires and a couple of blown calls. Joe Smith is really starting to impress me!!

The Mets couldn't get anything going tonight. They had a shot at a huge inning in  the 4th when Beltran led off with a double and Wright and Delgado got on, but Alou grounded into a double play and Green flied out.

Wright extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a hit in the 9th inning, but I gotta tell ya, it's a very hollow hitting streak if you ask me. I mean he's only hitting .257 on the season and only has 3 RBI's.

I don't like giving game balls out on a loss, but if I had to give it to somebody, I would say it goes to the rookie Joe Smith for 1 1/3 hitless and scoreless innings.

I should give an honorable mention to Jose Reyes who was on base 3 times with a couple of hits and a walk. He also stole a base and got caught stealing.

Tomorrow is a battle of the 40 somethings as Tom Glavine takes on Jaime Moyer. The Mets will be giving out bottles of Centrum Silver to every fan over 40 with a paid admission.

GLAVINE GOES FOR WIN 292! LETS GO METS! 

 

Posted by Joe D. at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

 

"Some Interesting Insights and Blurbs From The Writers Of Our Favorite Daily Tabloids" 

Mike Pelfrey, who won the job as the Mets' No. 5 starter this spring, will pitch on Friday night in the series opener against the Nationals at Shea Stadium. With three early off-days, the Mets left the 6-foot-7 right-hander in Florida, and the ninth overall pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft pitched six innings on Saturday night for Class A Port St. Lucie against Vero Beach.

Monday's game against the Phillies at Shea Stadium was Julio Franco's 30th home opener in professional baseball. The ageless one insists it won't be his last. "God has taken me this far," said Franco, who turns 49 in August. "Why would he stop me now?" Julio is the oldest non-pitcher ever to play full time in the Major Leagues.

The Mets are 30-16 in home openers, but 10-2 since 1995. That's pretty impressive if you ask me. There is something magical about Opening Day and the New York Mets.

Including last year, David Wright has a career-high 19-game hitting streak. "The streak doesn't mean anything to me," Wright said. It may not mean anything to him, but that two-run double he hit with bases loaded yesterday to extend his streak, meant a whole lot to me. He missed a grand slam by about a foot.

Yesterday's Opening Day attendance was 56,227, the largest in club history for Opening Day. It was also the eighth-largest regular-season crowd in franchise history.

Some of the 56,227 at decrepit Shea Stadium booed Aaron Heilman during introductions yesterday, some perhaps for the loss he incurred in Atlanta Sunday, most, though, for the home run he allowed to Yadier Molina in Game 7 of the NLCS the last time a baseball game was played here. That's the beauty of Opening Day. It is about memories as much as about optimism.

Carlos Delgado had something to show for all five of his plate appearances on Monday, with three hits, including a bunt single, two RBI (on a single and a sacrifice fly) and a walk in the midst of a seven-run, eighth-inning uprising. Delgado scored twice and did some leadership stuff that's not going to appear in today's box score, like going to the mound to give words of encouragement to Maine and Burgos when they were struggling. All in all, it was just a winning day for him.

The club will have a day off in New York today before playing the final two games of the series here on Wednesday and Thursday. Adam Eaton is scheduled to throw on Wednesday against Mets lefty Oliver Perez. On Thursday, it will be a match-up of the ageless ones as lefty Jamie Moyer will face Mets lefty Tom Glavine.

Posted by Joe D. at 09:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

John Heyman of Sports Illustrated wrote an interesting column that ponders the question of whether Charlie Manuel could lose his job as manager of the Phillies if the team does not improve ASAP. He definitely validates his suggestion with some interesting facts, but didn't hold back on his criticism.

"A good ol' boy, Manuel also never seemed like a good fit for Philly. As the Indians hitting coach, he sometimes retired to the clubhouse when his team was in the field. To date, no one's ever really given a good explanation of what qualified him to be a major-league manager."

Ouch!

Ken Davidoff of Newsday had an interesting critique of Willie Randolph's game-time decisions on Monday (didn't we all?). Of all the different takes and opinions I read, I find his to be the most palatable for me.

"Had the game concluded as a 5-3 Philadelphia victory, Randolph's choice and Burgos' failure to execute would have been a two-day story, as the Mets have today off. Instead, fans will momentarily wonder what Willie was thinking, then move on to celebrating their team's explosive lineup and the Phillies' horrendous start."

Hey Ken, this is New York, it would have been a three-day story and a two-hour segment on Mike and the Mad Dog.

Hey if you didn't read Dave's (aka:NYsportsGUY) take on the whole Jimmy Rollins soap opera, you have to stop and check it out. It's the blog below this one. He nailed it right on the head!

Also, you all may have noticed Andrew is doing the post-game recaps for Mets Merized this season, and let me just say he captures the sentiment, excitement (and disappointment), and key points of each game perfectly. You can always visit Andrew on his regular Mets Fan-site The 'Ropolitans for even more of his entertaining insights.

Posted by Joe D. at 02:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It was Opening day at Shea Stadium yesterday. The second to last opening day that Shea Stadium will ever experience in fact. Our division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, come to Queens hoping to claim dominance over the NL East. Well, the Mets fans at Shea Stadium spoke and spoke loudly this past Monday afternoon. Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies shortstop, choose a bad time to make a bad error as the Metropolitans thoroughly, soundly, and convincingly kicked some behind, prevailing 11-5. A sold out Shea rocked for the first time since last October chanting “Jimmy Rollins Sucks” after he failed to field the most routine of lazy ground balls.

Wait a minute. Isn’t this the same Jimmy Rollins who so confidently predicted that the Phillies were “the team to beat” this year? Didn’t he also say and I quote "If you can't walk around with swag, don't walk around" and "I'm not here to play second-fiddle or bow down to anybody and neither are the Mets". When he was talking about “swag”, did he mean walking around with his head down towards the dugout after making a blunder that would make Tom Emanski turn in his grave? (Actually Emanski is still alive) When he said, “bow down”, did he really mean he has to bow down to field the easiest ground ball hit by Reyes has hit in his career?

I personally don’t have an issue with Jimmy. I even met him once when I was visiting a few friends in Philadelphia at a lounge called Blue Martini. He was a good sport as I had some good-natured Anti-Phillies ribbings with him. Of course he was probably just acting extra nice because he was mesmerized by my friends blonde flirtatious girlfriend who just happened to be standing next to me. But after those comments he made a few weeks ago, my tune changed like Sanjaya singing a Mariah Carey song.

The Phillies enter this season thinking that they are the team to beat this year. They base this thought on hard facts and past success of course. I’m not talking about 1993, the last year they made the playoffs. I am speaking of 2006 when they almost made the playoffs. Experiencing a big year from the fat boy 1st baseman, Ryan Howard. Chase Utley, their 2nd baseman, was only 31 games away from breaking Joe DiMaggio’s consecutive hit streak record! Rollins, as many of you know by his incredibly cool and unoriginal nickname J-Rol, had an earth shattering .277 batting average. Cole Hamels, their young ace, has good “stuff” and baseball fans know that always translates into instant success in the major leagues. In addition to these cold hard facts, proven manager Charlie Manuel will lead the phanatic phollowing for the 3rd year. Here’s a guy who took the 2001 Cleveland Indians to the AL divisional series versus the Seattle Mariners, and Lost! Okay, for those of you who didn’t realize already, I am being completely sarcastic. Perhaps even more sarcastic than if Larry David and Rosean