Many will say “Yes” but as usual, I don’t agree with the majority of what I’ve been hearing. The team has done little to improve, operating under the belief or the “company line” that guys such as Big Pelf will improve or that John Maine, and the ever-enigmatic Ollie Perez are going to return to their 2007 form. This may be asking a lot for a team that has yielded multiple disappointing seasons for the [...]

I know there are rumors flying around like crazy about pending free agent signings, and that the Mets are interested in the likes of Ben Sheets, Joel Pineiro and John Smoltz.  And while any of those guys are capable of stepping in and being, at the very least, our #4 starter, we should be prepared for the worst.  And that “worst” is the depth chart in our starting rotation as it stands today—Johan Santana, Mike [...]

Anthony DiComo of Mets.com, is reporting that the Mets have agreed to a new contract with John Maine tonight, thus avoiding arbitration with the right-hander. According to the Associated Press the deal is worth $3.3 million guaranteed and Maine can earn an additional $225,000 in performance bonuses based on games started. Maine, 28, went 7-6 with a 4.43 ERA last season, spending much of it on the disabled list after offseason surgery to remove a [...]

I have to be honest, I didn’t think GM Omar Minaya had it in him to land Jason Bay.  I was ready to chalk up the 2010 season to rebuilding and maybe finishing in fourth place, but Minaya’s pursuit and subsequent landing of Bay to play left field for the Mets and possibly bat cleanup has changed my outlook of this team.  Not entirely, of course, but this is a solid move that injects a [...]

According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, the Mets and Brewers have discussed a deal that could send John Maine to Milwaukee in exchange for outfielder Corey Hart, and possibly another deal with the Texas Rangers for Kevin Millwood.. Will put up links in morning, but learned Mets are talking to Brewers about a Maine-Corey Hart swap, and also with Rangers about Kevin Millwood. While I don’t really understand the reasoning behind trading Maine for Hart, I am intrigued about Kevin Millwood who won [...]

This off season John Maine is a potential non-tender candidate and there has been talk that the Mets will non-tender him today, the deadline for offering your players arbitration. The Mets can still sign Maine if they do non-tender him but being non-tendered is sought of like being fired and the club telling you you’re not worth the price you will get in arbitration. I have been a supporter of John Maine’s for the last [...]

The Mets finally played some solid baseball and beat the Houston Astros 7-1 Friday night in the opener of their final series of the season. John Maine (7-6) made his final start of the season and delivered one of his best performances in two years. He pitched seven solid innings and allowed just one run on five hits, and he didn’t walk a batter while striking out seven. It was just what the Mets needed [...]

While appearing during his regular weekly spot with Mike Francesa on WFAN, Jerry Manuel sounded more like a general manager at times than he did a manager. When asked if he was intrigued by any of the starting pitchers and if any one starting pitcher caught his eye as far as the 2010 rotation, Manuel gave no ringing endorsements, and instead he offered quite the contrary. “I think the guys we have here now are good [...]

The air is getting cooler and the days are getting shorter as the horsehide is being replaced by the pigskin.  It sure felt like football was in the air at Land Shark Stadium in Miami Saturday night.  The Dolphins’ end zone was visible near the right field warning track (prompting Gary Cohen to exclaim “he hits it to the end zone…Touchdown, Francoeur!”).  The Mets also gave up a touchdown to the Marlins in the fifth [...]

Do you ever wonder what guys like Johan Santana think after suffering through two straight non-playoff years?  Last year the Mets collapsed in September for the second straight year, and the Twins were a one-game playoff away from reaching the postseason.  This year the Twins are battling the Tigers for the AL Central crown while the Mets have been out of the race since July.  I know Johan likes the bright lights, but let’s face [...]

It was inevitable, but after some tense moments in the ninth inning that required the help of Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets finally did it.  They clinched fourth place in the National League East with their 6-2 victory over the Washington Nationals.  There were no mounted police present, making it easy for jubilant fans to run across the field. Of course, those jubilant fans were just kids running the bases after the game in the Mr. [...]