I’m hearing a lot of talk on sports radio today about Billy Wagner who had another perfect appearance in rehab and is set to be activated this Sunday. Most of the enthusiasm is centered around the chance that the Mets might be able to move him before the August 31st waiver deal deadline. I have no doubt that the Mets will try and get something in return for Wags, but some of the names I’m [...]

As I’ve been watching our beloved Mets this season, going through cases of Pepto-Bismol and Alka-Seltzer, I’ve still kept an interest in seeing the team win, no matter how many games out of first we’ve been.  Recently, it’s gotten much tougher to get genuinely excited over wins, though having them spaced so far apart does help increase the excitement when we get one.  But, for the first time in a few years, I have a [...]

Welcome back, Where your dreams were your ticket out. Welcome back, To that same old place that you laughed about. Well the names have all changed since you hung around, But those dreams have remained and they’re turned around. Who’d have thought they’d lead ya (Who’d have thought they’d lead ya) Back here where we need ya (Back here where we need ya) Yeah we tease him a lot cause we’ve got him on the [...]

It has been only 11 months since undergoing Tommy John surgery, but Billy Wagner has been progressing quite well in his minor league rehab assignment.  He has made four appearances facing live hitters and is yet to give up a run.  His fastball has been clocked at 94 MPH and most importantly, he has not felt any pain in his surgically repaired elbow.  Although he has not pitched in back-to-back games, the team expects him [...]

We all have them—friends who are overly optimistic, even when things with our Mets look as grim as they possibly can.  To put this in perspective, during Game 6 of the ’86 World Series, I was hanging out with a bunch of friends in a bar on Long Island.  Among those friends was my buddy Tom from Bayside, and I distinctly remember Tom’s insane optimism through my beer-soaked haze as the season was slipping away.  [...]

Every time an updated injury report is released, August appears to be the month circled for the majority of the disabled players to make their return to the Mets.  What will this mean for the players who have been thrust into everyday roles over the past few months?  Let’s start analyzing what August has in store for the Mets, beginning with the hitters. The key Mets injuries in 2009 have been the ones to Carlos [...]

Here’s a quick question for you to consider.  Who is the longest tenured Mets player currently on the 25-man roster who has not played in the majors for any other franchise during his time with the team?  Although you might think the answer is Jose Reyes, he’s only been with the team since June 2003. The last person you would think of is Pedro Feliciano, but he is the correct answer.  Why would anyone think [...]

During an interview with the New York Post two weeks ago injured Mets reliever, Billy Wagner was asked about what he role with the club would be. Wagner was very honest and blunt in his response about whether or not he thought he would have a significant spot in the bullpen. “No. Not at all. I can’t see it. I think that would be foolhardy to even insinuate something like that,” he said. “I think [...]

In the early innings of tonight’s Mets telecast, Gary Cohen asked the viewers who they thought was the injured player closest to making his way back from the disabled list.  Although Jose Reyes has been doing some light running and is very close to playing in rehab games, he was not the answer.  Imagine my surprise when the answer was revealed to be the Sandman, Billy Wagner! So I did a little research to see [...]

For as bad as the Mets have looked at times this season (and I have advocated blowing up the team or just not paying attention to them anymore), it’s almost miraculous that they are not worse than three games under .500 and 6 ½ games out of first place.  When you think about the lousy starting pitching we’ve endured at times, the mental mistakes that seem to multiply, the injuries to most of the key [...]