Starting Lineup

1. Mike Baxter – RF
2. Daniel Murphy – 2B
3. David Wright – 3B
4. Ike Davis – 1B
5. Lucas Duda – LF
6. John Buck – C
7. Rick Ankiel – CF
8. Ruben Tejada – SS
9. Jeremy Hefner – RHP

Game Notes

The Mets signed Rick Ankiel and is in the lineup starting in centerfield tonight and batting seventh. Ankiel, 33, was released by the Astros last week after hitting .194 with a .231 OBP in 25 games. Ankiel hit five home runs and drove in 11, but struck out 35 times in 65 plate appearances and walked only three times. Andrew Brown was optioned to Triple-A Vegas to make room for him on the roster.

The Mets are 5-8 on the road this year, including winning two of their last three road contests. The Mets are 1-3 in one-run games on the road this year and are 3-2 in the first game of a series on the road.

New York dropped a 3-2 decision to the Pirates yesterday. The loss snapped the Mets three-game winning streak in one-run games. The Mets are 4-7 in one-run decisions this year after going 20-22 in 2012.

The Mets have scored three or fewer runs in six straight games and in 11 of their last 15 games. Overall, the Mets are averaging 4.44 runs per game, the fifth-most in the NL and the 13th-most in the majors. They are hitting .175 (7-40) with RISP over their last six games and are fifth in the NL and 13th in the majors with a .259 (68-263) batting average with RISP.

Over their last ten games, Mets starting pitchers are 1-5 with 5.81 ERA. Overall, New York starters are 8-15 with a 4.35 ERA, which ranks 21st in the majors.

Lucas Duda hit his eighth home run of the season yesterday It was Duda’s 33rd game in 2013. The outfielder didn’t reach eight home runs until his 50th game last season. Duda is tied for sixth in
the National League with 21 walks.

David Wright is hitting .313 (10-32) with three home runs this month. The Mets third baseman is tied for seventh in the NL with a .340 batting average vs. righthanders. He is third in the NL with a .417 on-base percentage and tied for second with 25 walks.

Game Preview

It would be best to imagine the last several days didn’t happen. Really.

After winning the opener on Thursday night, the Mets then dropped three straight to Bucs thanks to a variety of reasons, but mainly the offense. Because the baseball gods by nature are cruel, the Mets will now take their anemic bats to some of the best pitching in the National League. If you have been watching the broadcasts this past weekend, then you already know the Mets will be paired up against righties for the vast majority of the upcoming week, therefore yesterday’s line up is probably what we can expect. Tonight Jeremy Hefner gets the start against Lance Lynn.

Hefner hasn’t been as bad as you might assume. On the season he is 0-4 (ouch) but has a 4.63 ERA over 35.0 innings. In his last three starts, he has a 3.00 ERA over 21.0 innings, mostly due to allowing 4 ER over 6 last time out. Recently it has just been bad luck Jeremy as things slightly break against him out there. Hefner has never faced the Cardinals and the only batter he has seen on the team is Ty Wigginton who is 2-4 with a homer against him.

The Mets draw Lance Lynn who is 5-1 over 7 games with a 2.72 ERA over 43.o innings. The season started out rough for him but in his last 4 games he has pitched 28.0 innings with a 1.29 ERA. Last season he was 0-1 over 5.1 innings against the Mets where he allowed 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

Murphy 1-5
Duda 0-3
Wright 1-3, 2B
Byrd 0-3
Davis 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!

Today, I’m going to stray from my usual 3 Up & 3 Down to write an entry that has been kicking around in my head for quite sometime now. This entry is about the first owner of the New York Mets, Mrs. Joan Whitney Payson.

One SNY feature, the only one I consider to be worth watching, is Mets Yearbook. In one particular episode, the year was 1963, they showed the final game at the old Polo Grounds, with Mrs. Payson and Casey Stengel on the field. As I watched, I thought of how remarkable a woman Mrs. Payson was – a woman clearly ahead of her time – and how the Mets will never have another owner as good and as wonderful as she was. Just watching all the video clips of her it was so apparent that Mrs. Payson truly loved her Mets, and it was just as apparent that Met fans loved her back.

When was the last time we saw a Mets owner sitting in the stands with the fans, rooting for our team? Whether eating a hotdog or enjoying a box of Cracker Jacks, there she was sitting with the rest of us and rooting for the team. She wasn’t isolated in an “owners box”, but instead enjoyed being with her people, Mets fans, and enjoying the game with them.

Before taking ownership of the Mets, Mrs. Payson was a shareholder of the New York Giants. In fact, Mrs. Payson tried all she could to talk Horace Stoneham out of moving the Giants to San Francisco. Mrs. Payson, and M. Donald Grant both voted against the Giant’s move. When the National League finally agreed to expansion and awarded a baseball team to New York, Mrs.Payson become the first woman ever to own a baseball team, and they couldn’t have made a better choice.

Mrs. Payson then went about the business of hiring the best baseball people available at the time. She also didn’t meddle and always allowed all of them to do their job. With 50 years of hindsight, the early Mets were a stroke of genius. New York was starving for National League baseball and Mrs. Payson and some other key people brought it back to us.

The Mets also brought back as many former Giants and Dodgers as they could to bring a hometown feel and familiarity to the team. They scooped up the most successful manager in the game in Casey Stengel. They then let the stars of the past play, while beginning the work of assembling an awesome farm system.

The 1969 Mets were amazing for several reasons. First off, before 1969 they never finished in the top of the standings and in fact were perennial cellar dwellars. Second, and even more amazing is that seven years after inception, the Mets were champions. In the pre free agency era, this truly was a miracle.

I became a Met fan in 1973. Sadly Mrs. Payson died in October of 1975, so I have very few memories of her. But to me, the thing that was so striking about her was her genuine, heartfelt love for all the Mets players, coaches and fans. I doubt we’ll ever see anything like it, or anyone like her, ever again. That my friends, is too bad.

Happy Mothers Day to all the remarkable women in your lives.

The Chicago Tribune discussed Tuesday’s homecoming of sorts for Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura and his coach Joe McEwing. Both were teammates for two seasons with the Mets including the 2000 team that won the National League, but lost to Yankees in the World Series.

“It was a great time,” said Ventura, who played for the Mets from 1999-2001. “We enjoyed it as a family just being there. The Mets were very good to me. There’s part of it going back, seeing a lot of faces that you’re friends with and happy to see.”

Who can ever forget Ventura’s most signature moment as a Met – The Grand Slam Single…

What a great memory and one that still gives me goosebumps.

The article also mentions that McEwing will be honored while he’s in town and will be inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame at Foley’s NY Pub and Restaurant in New York on Tuesday.

“You’re so proud of your background and heritage, and to be inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame is an honor I’m humbled by.”

Matt Harvey was named the Pitcher of the Month for April, the first Met to win the honor since R.A. Dickey last did so in June, 2012.

Harvey, 24, went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA and 46 strikeouts in six April starts. His four wins tied for the National League lead, while his 1.56 ERA is third in the league for the month. His 46 strikeouts are tied for fourth in the league.

Harvey became the first pitcher in since 1900 to win his first four starts of the season, while allowing no more than 10 hits combined in those four starts.

This the second honor for Harvey this season as he was named National League Player of the Week during April 8-14. That was the week when he flirted with a no-hitter through 6.2 innings against the Twins in a frigid Minnesota.

Harvey now stands at 7-5 with a 2.26 ERA in 16 career starts, having given up only 63 hits in 99 2/3 innings.

It’s the first career monthly award for Harvey, who was selected ahead of pitchers such as Pittsburgh’s Jason Grilli, who logged 10 saves and a 0.82 ERA; San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner, who posted a 3-0 mark and 1.55 ERA; and Adam Wainwright, who went 4-2 with a 2.03 ERA.

In what has been a month full of questions, concerns and a losing record to start the season, seeing Harvey win this award is certainly one of the bright spots.

Congrats Matt, may you win many more. Hey, if he keeps this up he may even win a Cy Young.

Terry Collins believes that part of the problem with the team’s bullpen is because the starting rotation is failing to go deep into games. He says it has been putting an incredible strain on all of his relievers. Ya think?

Aside from Matt Harvey and Jon Niese, who combined are averaging over six innings per start, the rest of the rotation has been averaging 4.2 innings per start. Case in point was yesterday afternoon, when Shaun Marcum lasted just four innings, forcing the Mets bullpen to pitch five innings.

When you take Harvey and Niese out of the equation, the cupboard is bare and that’s why the Mets bullpen has a National League worst 5.28 ERA which also ranks second worst in the majors.

The Mets bullpen has allowed 45 earned runs in 76.2 innings pitched this season.

Don’t just blame the rotation however, this bullpen is bad. Eleven teams have logged more innings than the Mets, and their ERA’s are all lower.

The Pirates’ pen has logged a league high 91.0 innings already. But they also have an incredible 2.47 ERA for the season. The Bucs have allowed just 25 earned runs compared to the Mets’ 45.

“I completely agree with Terry Collins.”

His overall line left a lot to be desired, as he allowed four earned runs off three hits and the aforementioned six walks, while striking out four in 4.1 innings.

Wheeler is under a lot of pressure as the Mets’ top prospect right now and he seems to be running into the same issues he’s always had – walking too many batters. If you break down his start a little further, you can see that he threw 108 pitches. His strike to ball ratio was 61:47, which was rough, and nowhere near the level of efficiency we need to see from him.

He blew a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning, where he was eventually lifted in favor of Greg Peavey. To be fair, Wheeler left with the bases loaded and Peavey allowed all three inherited runners to score, but he was still wild overall and they were his runners.

This was Zack’s second start since the blister problem that was causing him discomfort in his first two starts. This was also one of Wheeler’s worst starts since joining the New York Mets organization after being acquired for Carlos Beltran.

As Mr. North Jersey mentioned in the comments, we can only hope there is no injury issue at play here, and that this is all a part of his growing pains. The potential still remains for Wheeler to become a dominant ace-like pitcher in the near future, so remember that this is all part of the process.

Thoughts from Joe D.

As I said after Wheeler’s last start, was his no-walk performance a sign of things to come, or just a fluke and a blip on the radar given the control problems that have plagued him throughout his pro career?

This is now fourth straight start in which he failed to deliver six innings. It was another start where his pitch count was remarkably bad. 108 pitches and only 61 strikes in 4.1 innings is not going to get anyone promoted to the majors no matter how high you rank on Baseball America’s Top Prospect. You still have to execute.

So far this season, Wheeler has pitched a total of 18.1 innings, averaging only 4.5 innings per start. That’s not going to cut it. He’s walked 12 and allowed 17 hits and his ERA now stands at an unsightly 4.91 his WHIP is now north of 2.00. The thing of it is that you can’t blame all those walks on the PCL or park factors. This has been a chronic problem for Wheeler throughout his career.

Collin McHugh, who I bring up all the time and am very high on, has walked just four batters in 18 innings and has 0.49 ERA to lead the team if you’re looking for a comparison.

And yet despite all of this data, day in and day out Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins are constantly bombarded with questions asking when Wheeler will be promoted.

Wheeler simply has not shown any signs that he is ready to take on the likes of Joey Votto, Bryce Harper and a host of other National League sluggers. He is not ready to mow down a major league lineup.

As one scout told Kevin Kernan yesterday, there’s dozens of pitchers who can throw 98 mph. Until Wheeler can consistently string together at least a half dozen quality starts (6.0 IP, 3 ER) calling him up shouldn’t be an option. How does promoting him now help him from a development standpoint, or more importantly how does he help the backend of our rotation?

When your pitch count is consistently around 90 pitches after four innings, how can you possibly provide any relief to an already very taxed Mets bullpen?

You can disagree with me all you want, but this is not a slight mechanical kink he needs to work out. The problem is much deeper than that. Zack Wheeler is simply not ready for major league duty and needs to show he can handle a full season in Triple-A. Currently, there are 30 qualified starting pitchers in the PCL who have a better ERA and WHIP than Zack Wheeler.

Terry Collins said back in March that if Wheeler wanted to make it to the Mets he needed to go to Las Vegas and lead the league in pitching. Wheeler isn’t even close.

Not snow, nor sleet, nor rain or hail could keep John Buck from belting his sixth home run – a grand slam.

Another game, another highlight. That’s what the season has been like for Mets catcher John Buck who belted a grand slam and scored two runs last night against the Twins.

Buck is now batting .351/.350/.865 with an incredible 1.215 OPS on the season with a National League leading six home runs and 19 RBI and tied for tops in the Majors with Baltimore’s Chris Davis.

The RBIs put him in some impressive company:

Terry Collins is at the point where when he needs a big hit, he believes Buck will come through for him every time.

“Right now, you’re almost starting to take it for granted. When you need a big hit, he’s going to get it. And he’s going to drive in runs when he gets his hit. It’s just amazing.”

Collins added that once Ike Davis get it going, the Mets will have a formidable middle of the order with Wright, Buck and Davis.

John Buck has hit a home run in four straight games (April 8 – present) extending his career-best. David Wright was the last Met to hit a home run in four consecutive games during the 2007 season. Richard Hidalgo holds the franchise record with a home run in five straight games from July 1-5, 2004.

Buck has six home runs through 10 games, the second-most in team history behind Dave Kingman’s seven home runs through 10 games in 1976.

So where is all this power coming from? Buck did not hit his sixth home run of the season last year until June 24 (52 games) and did not drive in his 19th run of the season until June 27 (55 games).

One last and amazing factoid for you. With his sixth home run last night, Buck now has more home runs than all the Mets catchers combined during the 2012 season.

Travis d’Arnaud may be in for a long wait before he makes his debut.

In 31 plate appearances so far this season, Buck is batting .393/.387/.464 with four home runs and an NL leading 14 RBIs in eight games.

Buck did not hit his fourth home run of the year last year until May 13 (25 games) and did not drive in his 14th run of the season until June 24 (50 games).

He is the first Mets player with four home runs in the team’s first eight games of season since Mike Piazza in 2001.

I tossed the following question out on Twitter and what follows are a few of the many responses.

Some Met fans are excited about Buck because it keeps the Mets in contention. Others are excited because we can trade him at deadline and get more for him if he keeps this up. Where do you stand?

@metsmerized I love what he brings to the young pitching staff. I think that’s valuable then what we could receive in trade at the deadline.

— Ben Yoel (@Ben_Yoel) April 10, 2013

@metsmerized trade, he keeps it up they could get a nice return

— Bosco (@bosco86) April 10, 2013

@metsmerized He’s without a doubt a deadline trade

— Michael C DeLuca (@MiaFins1) April 10, 2013

@metsmerized Dam ngood question. Think I’m the latter, hoping that if they are in contention d’Arnaud can keep them there.

— E.J. (@TheHappyRecap) April 10, 2013

@metsmerized The only answer to this question is . . . both.It all denoends on timing and circumstance.

— Scott M. Dolan (@ScottMDolan) April 10, 2013

@metsmerized keep buck and sign him. Good 1-2 punch behind the plate; maybe Buck can play 1st against lefties when d’arnaud arrives

— anthonynap (@anthonynap) April 10, 2013

Damn… What the Buck will the Mets do….

American League Cy Young Award

Felix Hernandez

Big King Felix took the Cy Young Award with five votes from our staff. In second was Justin Verlander with three and third was Chirs Sale with two. Jared Weaver, the imperfect Yu Darvish, Matt Harrison, Josh Johnson all had one vote a piece.

American League MVP

Mike Trout

Mike Trout took home seven MMO votes to take our MVP award, and to think, he could have been a Met . Albert Pujols was second with three and the new Jay-Z client Robinson Cano was third with two.

AL Home Run Champ

Jose Bautista

Brief but former Met Jose Bautista received six votes to become our preseason home run king. Prince Fielder was second with three tallies.

AL Batting Champion

Mike Trout and Robinson Cano

We have a tie! At four votes a piece, Mike Trout and Robinson Cano were voted co-batting champs. Miguel Cabrera was behind them at three. Josh Hamilton and Joe Mauer had two.

AL Stolen Base Leader

Mike Trout

I’m starting to see a theme here, something seems a little fishy. Mike Trout leads the American League with five votes. Michael Bourn with his new Indians at four and former-met speedster Jose Reyes in third at two picks.

AL Rookie Of The Year

Wil Myers

Now Tampa Bay Rays prospect Wil Myers is our choice for ROY at seven votes. Trevor Bauer had three, and Jurickson Profar and Dylan Bundy nabbed two a piece.

AL Comeback Player Of The Year

Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera gets our nod for Comeback Player at five tallies. Jose Bautista had himself four votes. Lance Berkman, Jacoby Ellsbury took home two a piece, hell even Jason Bay got thrown a bone from Jessep!

So that’s our 2013 A.L. Award predictions, hope you enjoyed… We’ll have the National League posted later today. In the mean time, here is how our staff voted individually. Feel free to comment with your own AL predictions!

Joe D.

AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez

AL MVP: Mike Trout

AL Homerun Champ: Prince Fielder

AL Batting Leader: Robinson Cano

AL Stolen Base Leader: Mike Trout

AL ROY: Trevor Bauer

AL Comeback Player: Jacoby Ellsbury

Paul Zinn

AL Cy Young – Felix Hernandez

AL MVP – Robinson Cano

AL Homerun Champ – Albert Pujols

AL Batting Leader – Miguel Cabrera

AL Stolen Base Leader – Jose Reyes

AL Rookie of the Year -Trevor Bauer

AL Comeback Player – Mariano Rivera

Clare Laferty

AL Cy Young – Felix Hernandez

AL MVP – Mike Trout

Michael Barrett

AL Cy Young – David Price

AL MVP – Mike Trout

AL Homerun Champ – Mark Trumbo

AL Batting Leader – Miguel Cabrera

AL Stolen Base Leader – Mike Trout

AL Rookie of the Year -Jurickson Profar

AL Comeback Player – Mariano Rivera

Vinny B.

AL Cy Young – Jered Weaver

AL MVP – Albert Pujols

AL HR Champ – Jose Bautista

AL Batting Leader -Robinson Cano

AL Stolen Base Leader – Desmond Jennings

AL Rookie of the year – Will Myers

AL Comeback player of the year – Lance Berkman

Matt Balasis

AL Cy Young – David Price

AL MVP – Jose Bautista

AL Homerun Champ – Jose Bautista

AL Batting Leader – Joe Mauer

AL Stolen Base Leader – Jose Reyes

AL Rookie of the Year – Wil Myers

AL Comeback Player – Jose Bautista

Joe Spector

AL Cy Young – Justin Verlander

AL MVP – Albert Pujols

AL Homerun Champ – Jose Bautista

AL Batting Leader – Robinson Cano

AL Stolen Base Leader – Brett Gardner

AL Rookie of the Year – Dylan Bundy

AL Comeback Player – Jose Bautista

Jessep

AL Cy Young – Felix Hernandez

AL MVP – Prince Fielder

AL Homerun Champ – Prince Fielder

AL Batting Leader – Mike Trout

AL Stolen Base Leader – Jose Altuve

AL Rookie of the Year – Trevor Bauer

AL Comeback Player – Jason Bay

Rob (Tie Dyed)

AL Cy Young – Chris Sale

AL MVP – Mike Trout

AL Homerun Champ – Jose Bautista

AL Batting Leader – Billy Butler

AL Stolen Base Leader – Jose Reyes

AL Rookie of the Year – Wil Myers

AL Comeback Player – Jose Bautista

Connor

AL Cy Young – Justin Verlander

AL MVP – Miguel Cabrera

AL Homerun Champ – Adam Dunn

AL Batting Leader – Joe Mauer

AL Stolen Base Leader – Michael Bourn

AL Rookie of the Year – Dylan Bundy

AL Comeback Player – Eric Hosmer

Clayton Collier

AL Cy Young – Matt Harrison

AL MVP – Robinson Cano

AL Homerun Champ – Jose Bautista

AL Batting Leader – Miguel Cabrera

AL Stolen Base Leader – Michael Bourn

AL Rookie of the Year – Wil Myers

AL Comeback Player – Victor Martinez

Gerry Silverman

AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez

AL MVP: Mike Trout

AL Homerun Champ: Prince Fielder

AL Batting Leader: Mike Trout

AL Stolen Base Leader: Mike Trout

AL ROY: Jurickson Profar

AL Comeback Player: Jacob Ellsbury

Adam Rossi

AL Cy Young – Yu Darvish

AL MVP – Mike Trout

AL Homerun Champ – Jose Bautista

AL Batting Leader – Mike Trout

AL Stolen Base Leader – Mike Trout

AL Rookie of the Year – Wil Myers

AL Comeback Player – Jose Bautista

Dan Valis

AL Cy Young – David Price

AL MVP – Jose Bautista

AL Homerun Champ – Jose Bautista

AL Batting Leader – Josh Hamilton

AL Stolen Base Leader – Michael Bourn

AL Rookie of the Year – Wil Myers

AL Comeback Player – Mariano Rivera

XtreemIcon

AL Cy Young – Justin Verlander

AL MVP – Evan Longoria

AL Homerun Champ – Josh Hamilton

AL Batting Leader – Josh Hamilton

AL Stolen Base Leader – Emilio Bonafacio

AL Rookie of the Year – Wil Myers

AL Comeback Player – Mariano Rivera

Gregg Hopps

AL Cy Young -Josh Johnson

AL Batting Leader -Mike Trout

AL Comeback Player -Mariano Rivera

Jim Mancari

AL Cy Young – Chris Sale

AL MVP – Albert Pujols

AL Homerun Champ – Albert Pujols

AL Batting Leader – Robinson Cano

AL Stolen Base Leader – Michael Bourn

AL Rookie of the Year – Jurickson Profar

AL Comeback Player – Lance Berkman

Niese was coming off a few year in a row in which he was unable to finish a season pitching well or healthy. In 2010, he posted a 7.57 ERA over his last seven starts after pitching very well for most of the season. He was clearly showing signs of wear and tear. In 2011, he missed all of September with injury. It was very important for Niese to finally be able to pitch (and pitch well) down the stretch in 2012.

Niese’s overall numbers last season are actually a bit deceiving, and don’t quite tell the whole story. He finished the year with an above-average ERA of 3.40, 14th in the National League. However, he actually pitched much better than that mark would suggest. His ERA was inflated by two terrible starts, one in May against Toronto and another right before the All-Star break against Chicago. In those two games combined, he gave up 15 earned runs in 10 innings pitched. If you remove those starts from his statistics, his ERA is 2.84, which would have been fifth in the National League.

Since he has become a full-time starter in the big leagues, Niese has shown steady improvement, but last year was an even bigger step forward and has me excited for his future. He is mixing his pitches much better than in years past, and is also pitching remarkably better out of the stretch. With men on, opponents had a meager .272 on-base percentage with Niese striking out 3.52 batters per walk. In 2010 in those situations, hitters had a .358 on-base percentage and Niese struck out only 1.94 batters per walk. That’s a very promising trend and shows that last year was no fluke.

Overall, Niese has a very bright future ahead of him. Last year was not a fluke, but genuine improvement. He has turned himself into one of the better young lefties in the National League. With his new team-friendly contract, if he continues to pitch like he did last year, he will be immensely valuable to the Mets in the years to come.

2013 Projection:

3.50 ERA, 205 IP, 7.6 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 3.8 WAR

We have all heard the phrase good things come to those that wait, but the phrase really only works if you seem to have a plan for the future that you intend to wait for.

Patience works if you have a plan. But I see no plan at work with this organization.

Many have tried to tell me the plan was to rebuild the “AWFUL” minor league system. But that plan was usurped the second we failed to sign half the guys we selected in the draft. If half a draft class was not good enough to try and push the guys we had then the only thing you could take from that is that the guys we had are pretty damn good because half a draft class wasn’t worth replacing the ones that existed.

In two years the only addition of any significance has been pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, and that cost us a player who is among the top five in the National League in a dozen different categories and having an MVP-caliber season. He would have cost us only $13 million to bring back which leads to the next excuse people run to…

Others have said that the plan was to “get the budget in order”. Well, we did cut $55 million from the budget and yet “we are still too poor” is the mantra.

Lets assume we could make Bay’s contract disappear. Will we be able to afford the team then? Just Barely? Can we buy anything with that $16MM? Well if the folks who think we are broke are actually right, then the answer is NO. We just don’t spend that money and we move on with no more than a $75 million dollar payroll for next season. Is that something worth waiting for and looking forward to?

Patience is a gift that is freely given to someone provided that they have showed us they have a plan, and that the plan is sound, and that there is a some sort of reward at the end of the rainbow to reward our patience.

But I see no plan. I see no rainbow. Hell I don’t even see a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re in a dark cave and we are walking deeper and deeper into it with no exit in sight.

If the plan was to rebuild then there would be some evidence of it by signing most of our draft selections and including paying slot price for our second rounder who was unsigned over a difference on $60 thousand dollars.
To the folks who said the farm is still in shambles, apparently in the last two years we could have replaced the bottom 34 players with 34 new players that we drafted, but opted not to sign them. The only assumption was that none of them were seen as upgrades to what we had already. By the way, the unsigned players by the Mets in this year’s draft was the most among all 30 MLB teams.

Also if we were really building for the future, the few Free Agent signings we HAVE SIGNED, would not be one year or two year deals for players from the scrap heap and still hanging around in January due to a lack of interest from other teams. Rebuilding teams would have targeted players and signed contracts that would solve a position of need for a much longer time period to provide a stability until the kids are ready. Then you could trade them for even more kids to keep the minor league train a rollin’.

If the plan was to get the budget in order, well then why did they announce the end of the season two July’s in a row?

The best way to solve budgetary problems is to MAKE more money not save more money. We saved money this year and yet we are still reportedly $23 million in the red this season instead of $70 million. The difference? The $55 million in payroll that Alderson has shed since he took over the reins. Looks like he still has some slashing to do.

There is no plan and it’s easy to see… Look no further than the moves that have been made just this year alone. We did well in the draft the optimists say, just not good enough to keep half the players we selected.

We are Buyers was the message from April through July, and of course the Mets collapsed right on cue in the days leading up to the 31st. Of course they did, after all they lost their ace, their closer, and their number four starter with none of those casualties being addressed. Well that’s not totally accurate, they did initially replace Santana and Gee with Miguel Batista and Chris Schwinden until they were each designated for assignment two weeks later.

I’m sorry, but what we’ve witnessed this season is not a plan and there is no underlying logic here to make our patience pay off. All they are doing is reacting to events as they occur… Sometimes. There’s nothing proactive going on here right now.

There is no plan, unless you consider waiting for a miracle to rain down upon us as a plan. Waiting is neither a plan nor a strategy.

This Fan Shot was submitted by MMO reader, Metsie. Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 12 thousand Mets fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to GetMetsmerized@aol.com. Or ask about being a regular contributor, and share your opinions with an engaging community that loves to debate

The idea has been beaten to death: The Mets bullpen is the worst in baseball and has been the major reason for the team’s skid to open the second half.

But looking a little deeper, it may not totally be the bullpen’s fault. In fact, the pen, mainly Jon Rauch, Josh Edgin and even Manny Acosta since being recalled, has actually been somewhat decent recently.

Granted, the bullpen certainly has contributed to the second-half slide, but the offense is just as culpable.

The Mets have played 24 games since the All-Star break and are just 7-17 in those games. Only 10 times in those 24 games have the Mets scored at least five runs, and the team actually wound up losing five of those 10 games.

It seems that the clutch two-out RBI hitting that the Mets were known for during the first half has simply disappeared. Maybe it’s fatigue or maybe it’s just a loss of the fire that was so evident in the first half.

Of the nine positions in the Mets lineup, two are basically automatic outs with another very close. Jason Bay of course does nothing, and the pitcher’s spot rarely contributes (which is expected). Andres Torres goes through periods of being extremely cold as well, but he at least has some speed.

Jordany Valdespin has cooled down significantly, and production from the catcher’s position has been hard to come by.

More troubling though has been David Wright. Not too long ago, Wright was near the top of the NL in hitting at around .350. However, in just a few short weeks, he’s now hovering near the .320 mark.

At this point in the season, it really takes a lengthy slump to drop 30 points in one’s batting average, and that’s what Wright’s going through. His strikeouts are also way up.

So again, there’s no doubting that the Mets bullpen is a major weakness. But it’s unfair moving forward to thrust the whole blame of the second half skid just upon the pen. The offense has been just as bad during this stretch if not worse.

I could’ve been a contender…

With the first half of the season is just about in the books, it’s finally time to separate the contenders from the pretenders. There are four teams that I believe are completely out of the playoff picture (Chicago, San Diego, Colorado, and Houston). All four will be sellers in a few weeks, attempting to unload salaries in return for prospects. The remaining 12 teams will be classified into three tiers. The first all have a good chance of winning the pennant this season, the second have a decent chance, while the third are pretenders.

Tier 1:

Washington Nationals: The Nats have the best record in the National League to go along with the best pitching staff. They have allowed approximately 3.5 runs per game this year, which is flat out ridiculous. Look for the Nats to add a bat at the deadline in order to give that aching lineup some help. Jayson Werth has been out pretty much all year with his wrist injury, which has really hurt the offense.

Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto is putting up surefire MVP numbers, but the Reds pitching staff has been the biggest strength so far this year. Cueto, Arroyo, Leake, Bailey, and Latos have pitched well and stayed healthy, which is a recipe for success. The bullpen, although it has struggled as of late, has been the best in the MLB.

San Francisco Giants: Matt Cain has become the ace of the five headed monster of a rotation. Lincecum has pitched very poorly, but has had some recent success. The Giants need some more help with the lineup, so look for them to be in the market for a big bat.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Whenever you have strong pitching and a couple of star position players, you have a shot to win. The Dodgers lineup is not very good, especially without Matt Kemp, but the MVP candidate will likely return right after the All-Star break. Dee Gordon has struggled to get on base, but his speed does wreak havoc. Kershaw is having another fine year, but the Dodgers need some assistance in the rotation. They could make a push for Cole Hamels if he becomes available.

Tier 2:

Atlanta Braves: The Braves may be the best organization in all of sports. Every single year they seem to be in contention in some form, and this year is no different. Atlanta needs an arm in the rotation, with Brandon Beachy out for the season with TJ surgery. The Braves offense has been very good, led by a resurgent Jason Heyward.

St. Louis Cardinals: Another great organization that puts a solid team out there every night. Mike Matheny’s ballclub were red hot in April, but have since cooled down. Carlos Beltran has been the steal of free agency thus far, as he’s knocked 20 homeruns in the first half of the year. The offense is the fourth best in all of baseball, which is crazy to think when you consider who they lost in the offseason. The Cardinals also need help in the rotation and bullpen, which will be an area they look at near the trade deadline.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks are coming off a postseason appearance last year and they are finally playing better. They lost Daniel Hudson to injury, Ian Kennedy and Justin Upton have underperformed, but they are still in the thick of things out there in the NL West. They are playing mediocre baseball this year, but I expect them to start tearing it up in the next month or so. This team is young, but way too talented to be playing .500 baseball.

New York Mets: Here comes my bias. I believe this team has a shot, as do most die-hards. Some changes need to be made though, which could come very soon. The Mets need bullpen help desperately, as well as a right handed bat. The Mets could move Daniel Murphy, but I don’t see his value being high enough to garner any significant arms in the bullpen. They Mets might have to move one of their 2^nd or 3^rd tier prospects to get a Huston Street or a Brett Myers. The Mets could also promote some of their prospects, who seem to have futures in the MLB bullpen (Mejia and Familia).

Tier 3:

Miami Marlins: Miami went for a whole new look in the offseason, but the only noise that they’ve made has come out of Ozzie Guillen’s mouth. Heath Bell has been the worst signing of the offseason, while Jose Reyes still hasn’t picked up where he left off last year. This team has talent and could certainly get back into the picture, but I just don’t see how. They are just way too inconsistent.

Philadelphia Phillies: Sellers written all over them. 5 core players are on the wrong side of 30 and making a lot of money. The Phillies need to get healthy and trade some expiring contracts to get back some high-level prospects. It’ll be tough for Philly fans to swallow, but this team desperately needs to shed some of these high salaries this year.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Everybody fell in love with this team last July and then they had one of the worst second halves in all of baseball. Until they have a stopper in the rotation, I just can’t see this team as a legitimate 162 game team.

Miluwakee Brewers: Last but not least, the Brewers. Milwaukee’s pitching has not been pretty outside of Zack Grienke. Shaun Marcum has been just okay, while Randy Wolf and Yovani Gallardo have not pitched particularly well. The Brewers bullpen has not helped them out, while the offense is mediocre at best. Ryan Braun is shutting his “steroid” haters up, but he can’t do it all by himself.

Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer!

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, and updated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: Rookie right-hander Trevor Bauer made his major-league debut Thursday and pitched four innings allowing two runs, five hits and three walks before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning. Bauer, the first player from the 2011 draft to appear in the major leagues, was 11-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 16 minor-league starts. CF Michael Bourn has stolen at least 20 bases for five consecutive seasons. Since the start of the 2008 season, he led all major-leaguers with 235 stolen bases through Wednesday. IF Jack Wilson has lost playing time since Andrelton Simmons took over at shortstop. Simmons went into Thursday’s game with nine multi-hit games, seven of them in his last 12 games, and had four multi-RBI games.

Miami Marlins: RF Giancarlo Stanton leads the Marlins with 17 home runs but has only four in June after hitting 12 in May to win the National League Player of the Month award. RHP Josh Johnson has allowed just three runs in 13 innings over his last two starts going into his outing tonight, but he is 0-1 because the Marlins scored a total of one run in those games. The Marlins rank in the bottom half among NL teams in key offensive categories, which can be attributed to a lack of production from players who were expected to blossom this season. First baseman Gaby Sanchez, an All-Star last year, and starting catcher John Buck both are hitting below .200. Left fielder Logan Morrison is hitting .227.

Philadelphia Phillies: One night after Chase Utley made his triumphant return to the Phillies by blasting a home run in his first at-bat of the 2012 season, his longtime teammate Ryan Howard began his rehab assignment with a bang going 2-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and three RBI while batting cleanup. The Phillies rotation has a 5.13 ERA in 30 games since Roy Halladay’s injury and the bullpen has a 4.62 ERA during that same span. RH reliever Chad Qualls was designated for assignment, LH reliever Joe Savery was sent to Class AAA Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Pa.) and LH relievers Jeremy Horst and Brian Sanches were called up from Lehigh Valley.

Washington Nationals: RF Michael Morse went 2-for-5 with a three-run shot, his second homer since returning from a lat injury. He is hitting .341 (14-for-41) over his last 10 games with the two homers and eight RBI. RHP Edwin Jackson has not had success pitching at Coors Field, and  gave up eight runs on 10 hits in three-plus innings during the Nationals’ 11-10, 11-inning loss last night. Jackson had won three of his previous four starts, posting a 2.30 ERA in that span. He is 0-1 with a 17.40 ERA in four career starts in Denver. 3B Ryan Zimmerman has put together a five-game hitting streak. His two-run single started the Nationals’ scoring Thursday after collecting three doubles and two homers in the previous three games.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Brandon Beachy (Tommy John Surgery) had season-ending surgery.

Miami Marlins: Emilio Bonafacio (left thumb) cleared to hit off a tee and play catch on June 26.

New York Mets: Mike Baxter (displaced right collarbone) hasn’t resumed physical activities as of June 28. Jason Bay (concussion) cleared to ride bicycle on June 25. Frank Francisco (left oblique strain) was placed on the disabled list on June 24.

Philadelphia Phillies: Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) had 3 RBIs in Class A rehab game June 28. Lance Nix (strained left calf) continues to rehab in Florida as of June 28. Michael Stutes (right shoulder) had arthroscopic shoulder surgery on June 26.

Washington Nationals: Cole Kimball (recovery from 2011 right shoulder surgery) threw 2 innings in a Class A rehab game on June 25. Christopher Marrero (torn left hamstring, shoulder) went 1-3 in a Triple-A rehab game on June 28. Xavier Nady (right wrist tendinitis) was placed on the disabled list on June 25, retroactive to June 24. Henry Rodriguez (strained right index finger) pitched an inning in Double-A on June 27. Chad Tracy (right groin tear) taking part in baseball activities as of June 27.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Arizona Diamondbacks

Miami Marlins VS Philadelphia Phillies

New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Philadelphia Phillies @ Miami Marlins

Washington Nationals @ Colorado Rockies

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, andupdated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: The Braves have lost four straight at home, and have fallen to third place in the NL East behind the Mets and Nationals. During the Braves’ recent skid, they have scored a total of just ten runs. Despite their those struggles, the Braves are still the seventh in MLB in runs scored with 294. With his 2-for-4 effort in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Yankees, right fielder Jason Heyward raised his batting average to .250. After seeing his average dip as low as .233 on May 30, Heyward has 10 hits in his last 36 at-bats (.278) with two home runs, two doubles and seven RBIs. The Braves have designated Livan Hernandez for assignment and recalled Kris Medlen from Triple-A Gwinnett. He was 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA in 18 appearances for the Braves this season.

Miami Marlins: Outfielder Scott Cousins joins the Marlins today, called up from Class AAA New Orleans. Cousins replaces Chris Coghlan, who was optioned to New Orleans after Wednesday’s game. Cousins hit .292 average with 30 runs scored, 10 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 32 RBI in 50 games at New Orleans. Manager Ozzie Guillen is shaking up his batting order after Miami struggled for offense while losing eight of nine games on its recent homestand. Jose Reyes led off the bottom of the first inning on Wednesday night with a triple for the second game in a row. The last player to hit leadoff triples in back-to-back games was Reyes himself, who did it on June 21-22, 2008. His 15 leadoff triples tie him with Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki for the lead among active players.

Philadelphia Phillies: Phillies pitchers have just three complete games this season. Blanton has two of them. Kyle Kendrick has the other. The Phillies won the final game of their series with the Minnesota Twins Thursday night, 6-1. Designated hitter Jim Thome continued his recent hot streak at the plate as he hit a three-run homer to power the offense. Chase Utley moved one step closer to returning to the Major Leagues when he began a rehab assignment with Class A Clearwater on Tuesday. Utley went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter in his first game with the Threshers.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals have won six straight, all against AL East opponents, and will look to create a greater gap between themselves and the rest of the NL East as interleague plays continues. Washington currently has a comfortable 4 1/2 game lead over the second-place Mets. Stephen Strasburg, 23, became the first pitcher in the Majors to reach 100 strikeouts this season when he set down eight Blue Jays in six innings on Wednesday. Strasburg, who improved to 8-1, lowered his ERA to 2.45. First baseman Adam LaRoche who sat out to rest his sore right foot, was replaced rookie Tyler Moore on Wednesday and tallied five RBIs, belting his first two Major League home runs after recording his first career RBIs with a two-run double.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Brandon Beachy (elbow) is day to day. Freddie Freeman (thumb) is day to day. Eric O’Flaherty (sore left elbow) is day to day.

Miami Marlins: Emilio Bonafacio (left thumb) had stitches removed on June 12. Carlos Zambrano (lower back stiffness) is day to day.

New York Mets: Ronny Cedeno (strained left calf) will begin rehab assignment on June 15. Ramon Ramirez (strained right hamstring) has started long tossing as of June 13. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) jogged on June 14, but is not close to return yet. Justin Turner (sprained right ankle) played shortstop in a Triple-A rehab game on June 14.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin DeFratus (strained right elbow) throwing from 120 feet as of June 13. Freddy Galvis (pars fracture in back) will wear brace for three weeks. David Herndon (right elbow inflammation) will be re-evaluated the week of June 17. Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) went 0-4 in an extended spring training game on June 13. Lance Nix (strained left calf) went 0-4 in an extended spring training game on June 13. Michael Stutes (right shoulder inflammation) will be re-evaluated the week of June 17. Chase Utley (left knee) was DH in third Class A Advanced game on June 14.

Washington Nationals: Roger Bernadina (hamstring strain) is day to day. Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) will start rehab assignment after June 15. Adam LaRoche (sore right foot) is day to day. Christopher Marrero (torn left hamstring, shoulder) played in Double-A rehab games on June 13 and 14. Ryan Mattheus (plantar fascia strain in left foot) pitched in a Double-A rehab game on June 13. Drew Storen (bone chip in right elbow) threw second mound session on June 11. Stephen Strasburg (minor cut on middle finger of right hand) was removed as a precaution on June 13 and is day to day.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Baltimore Orioles

Miami Marlins VS Tampa Bay Rays

New York Mets VS Cincinnati Reds

Philadelphia Phillies @ Toronto Blue Jays

Washington Nationals VS New York Yankees

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, andupdated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: The Braves paid tribute to former All-Star pitcher John Smoltz today by inducting him into the Braves Hall of Fame. His number will be retired prior to tonight’s contest. Braves’ starting pitchers allowed just one earned run in the three-game series sweep over Miami, and they allowed only six runs in fi ve games (33.2 IP) on the just-completed road trip (1.60 ERA). Martin Prado went 2-for-5 last night and has hit safely in 22 of his last 27 games, with 16 multi-hit games in those 27 contests. Prado ranks sixth in the National League in hitting (.324) and has hit safely in 42 of his 55 games played this season.

Miami Marlins: The Fish suffered their second three-game sweep of the season, dropping the series finale against the Braves, 8-2. Jose Reyes connected for his first home run of the season in the loss. Tonight, the Citrus Series resumes as Miami welcomes the Tampa Bay Rays to Marlins Park for a three-game series. The two teams last met in a three-game set from June 17-19, 2011 at Tropicana Field, a series that saw the Fish drop three straight. The 2011 Citrus Series went to the Rays, who took four of the six contests. In South Florida, however, Miami has gone 25-16, while also leading the overall series, 42-37.There are only three players in the Majors to record 90 home runs and steal at least 200 bases since the 2006 season, and two of them are playing in this series. Hanley Ramirez has hit 45 home runs and stolen 226 bases, Jimmy Rollins has totaled 114 homers and 212 SB’s, and B.J. Upton has 90 home runs and 208 steals.

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies have dropped a season-high six straight games to fall three games under .500 after being a season-best three over (28-25). Jim Thome enters play tonight as MLB’s all-time home run leader in Interleague play with 59 and third in game-winning RBI (21). Juan Pierre needs to score 1 more run to reach 1,000 for his career. Once he does, he will become just the 30th player in MLB history to have 1,000 runs, 2,000 hits and 500 stolen bases. The 2012 season marks both the 8th year for Charlie Manuel as manager of the Phillies and his 50th year in professional baseball (since 1963). Through his seven-plus years at the helm in Philadelphia, he has become the franchise’s all-time leader in managerial wins (674) and has led the team to a record five straight postseason appearances. Manuel has a career record of 674-519 (.565) in Philadelphia (2005-12), the best among all NL teams in that time frame.

Washington Nationals: Washington will take a 15-game stroll through the brutal AL East, beginning Friday with a three-game series against the Red Sox. Each team in the AL East is above .500, with Boston at 29-28 and in last place. Washington holds a slim one-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East after a 3-1 loss to the Mets on Thursday afternoon. Two young workhorses will go head-to-head in the series opener Friday, with right-hander Stephen Strasburg taking the ball for the Nationals and lefty Felix Doubront for the Sox. In 14 games dating to a 9-3 win on May 20 vs. BAL, Bryce Harper is hitting .357 (20-for-56) with a double, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 9 RBI, 8 walks and 12 runs scored. He leads the Nationals in that span in batting average, runs, hits, triples and homers. Nationals pitchers have averaged 8.54 strikeouts per 9.0 innings this season. That’s only been produced through 54 contests, but it is currently the 2nd-highest recorded by any club in modern baseball history.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman (bruised left index finger) is day to day. Chipper Jones (left calf contusion) had the stitches removed from his leg on June 6 and might return June 11.

Miami Marlins: Austin Kearns (right hamstring strain) might return June 7.

New York Mets: Mike Baxter (displaced right collarbone) was placed on the disabled list on June 3, after suffering the injury crashing into a wall on June 1. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) suffered a setback and his rehab was put on hold as of June 5. Jon Rauch (right elbow discomfort) was unavailable for the entire Nationals series, but is expected to be ready for the weekend series against the Yankees. Ramon Ramirez (strained right hamstring) was placed on the disabled list on June 5. Jon Niese (elevated heart rate) left his last start on Sunday, June 3. He will make his next start, and will have surgery after the season to correct the issue.

Philadelphia Phillies: Jose Contreras (torn right UCL, flexor pronator tendon) had an MRI reveal tears on June 2 and will be out the remainder of the season. Freddy Galvis (lower back) is day to day after leaving a game in the 5th inning on June 6. Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) went 2-4 in an extended spring training game on June 6. Lance Nix (strained left calf) will resume rehab on June 7. Placido Polanco (laceration on finger) is day to day. Chase Utley (left knee) could begin playing the field next week.

Washington Nationals: Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) is expected to start his rehab assignment on June 7 or 8. Sandy Leon (high right ankle sprain) is running and playing catch as of June 3. Brad Lidge (abdominal wall strain) pitched a perfect inning in a rehab game on June 6. Carlos Maldonado (back) was placed on the disabled list on June 6. Ryan Mattheus (plantar fascia strain in left foot) threw a successful bullpen session on June 6. Wilson Ramos (torn meniscus, ACL in right knee) underwent first of two surgeries on June 1. Drew Storen (bone chip in right elbow) is throwing everyday from flat ground as of June 5.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Toronto Blue Jays

Miami Marlins VS Tampa Bay Rays

New York Mets @ New York Yankees

Philadelphia Phillies @ Baltimore Orioles

Washington Nationals @ Boston Red Sox

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, andupdated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: Uggla ranks second in the NL and fourth in the majors with 34 walks on the season. His career high is 92 walks (2009) and he’s on pace for 108 this season. CF Michael Bourn has hit safely in 12 of his last 18 starts, 25 of his last 31 starts and in 38 of 50 starts this season. He has accounted for four of the Braves’ last nine home runs and has already equaled his career high. The Braves have gone 19-5 with Chipper Jones in the starting lineup this season and 8-19 without him in the lineup. The Braves are inducting John Smoltz into their Hall of Fame today and retiring his uniform number 29. Smoltz, who spent 20 seasons in a Braves uniform, is the only pitcher in Major League history with at least 200 wins and 150 saves, and has the most strikeouts in postseason history with 199.

Miami Marlins: The Marlins are coming off of a three-game home sweep of the Nationals that brought them to within a half-game of first place. They upped their Major League leading comeback wins total to 19 with a 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals. Jose Reyes has fashioned an nine-game hitting streak at home, during which he is batting .324, the switch-hitting speedster has hit at a .322 clip and has collected at least one hit in 20 of 24 games at home. Hanley Ramirez and Giancarlo Stanton are each blazing hot. Ramirez is hitting .354 since dropping below .200 earlier this season and Stanton in May hit .343 with 12 home runs (first in majors) and 30 RBI (third).

Philadelphia Phillies: Three-fifths of the Phillies’ vaunted rotation has been on the disabled list already, with Roy Halladay the latest casualty. The Phillies won just one of Halladay’s final eight starts before he succumbed to a shoulder injury. Cliff Lee has yet to record a win this season. Dating back to the last July, Kyle Kendrick has a 2.65 ERA in his last 15 starts. He’s also averaged 5.9 innings per game, a solid average for any fifth starter. Former Phillies closer Mitch Williams said, “I don’t see any chance of Cole Hamels being a Phillie after this year because of the amount of money he’s going to command.”

Washington Nationals: The Nationals are 15-8 at home, where their .652 winning percentage ranks 2nd in the NL behind only LAD’s .700 mark at Dodger Stadium. The Nationals’ pitching staff paces MLB in ERA (3.01), starters’ ERA (2.95), batting average against (.222), fewest hits/9.0 innings (7.36), WHIP (1.14), baserunners allowed/9.0 innings (10.49), OPS against (.636) and fielding-independent pitching (3.24). In May — thanks to 57 doubles, 10 triples and 34 home runs—the Nationals tallied 101 extrabase hits in a single calendar month for just the 2nd time in franchise history. The Nationals’ 101 extra-base hits in May ranked 2nd in the NL behind only STL (102).

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones (left calf contusion) is on the disabled list, and had blood drained from his leg on May 26. David Ross (strained right groin) is day to day and caught in the bullpen on May 29.

Miami Marlins: Emilio Bonifacio (left thumb) ran for first time since surgery on May 30. Jose Ceda (ligament tear in right elbow) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 27.

New York Mets: Miguel Batista (strained lower back) pitched 7 innings in a Double-A rehab start on May 30. Jason Bay (rib fracture) started as DH in a rehab game on May 28. Ronny Cedeno (strained left calf) was placed on the disabled list on May 30, retroactive to May 27. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) is undergoing treatment in New York through June 1st. Josh Thole (concussion) caught in a Triple-A rehab game on May 31. Justin Turner (sprained right ankle) was placed on the disabled list on May 29. Chris Young (torn right anterior capsule) started a Triple-A rehab game on May 31.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin De Fratus (sprained right elbow) began throwing on May 25. Roy Halladay (right latissimus dorsi strain) was placed on the disabled list on May 29 and is going receive a second opinion. Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) is running, hitting, and fielding in rehab as of May 30. Michael Martinez (right foot fracture) hit in batting practice in extended spring training on May 26. Lance Nix (strained left calf), on May 30, ran for the first time since being placed on the disabled list. Carlos Ruiz (right hamstring tightness) is day to day. He had a pinch-hit home run on May 30. Jim Thome (strained lower back) is taking batting practice in extended spring training as of May 30. Chase Utley (left knee) is working out with the team as of May 30. Vance Worley (right elbow inflammation, bone chip in elbow) is schedued to throw a second bullpen session on June 1.

Washington Nationals: Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) took batting practice and threw on May 27. Jesus Flores (strained right hamstring) is day to day. Mike Morse (right lat strain) played two Class A advanced games on May 30. Henry Rodriguez (right index finger) is day to day. Chad Tracy (right groin tear) underwent surgery on May 29.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves @ Washington Nationals

Miami Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies

New York Mets VS St. Louis Cardinals

Philadelphia Phillies VS Miami Marlins

Washington Nationals VS Atlanta Braves

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, and updated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: On Monday, May 21, Drew Sutton was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash. They also signed Ian Thomas and Lance Zawadzki. The Braves own the division’s best run differential, by a decent margin, at plus-32. The Nationals are plus-19, second best. The Braves have scored 4.87 runs per game, second-best in the National League and up from 3.96 last season. Martin Prado is on a hot streak for Atlanta. In his last 16 games, Prado has hit .429 with eight doubles, a triple, a home run, nine runs scored and five RBIs. With just 11 more RBIs, Chipper Jones will reach 1,596 and tie Hall of Famer George Brett for the all-time lead among third basemen.

Miami Marlins: Mike Dunn was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans and is expected to callup Daniel Jennings. The left-hander has an 0.95 ERA with 17 strikeouts and five walks in 19 innings for New Orleans. Jennings has made two appearances with the Marlins this season, throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Hanley Ramirez (141 homers, 225 steals) is one of just two players since 2006 to record 140-or-more home runs and steal more than 140 bases. Matt Kemp is the other. Ramirez has caught fire at home lately, carrying a seven-game home hitting streak into tonight’s game. In the month of May, the Marlins have drawn a National League leading 84 walks, ahead of the Diamondbacks (77), Braves (77), Giants (76) and Mets (75).

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies lead the majors in May with a .286 batting average and are third in total bases, with an average of 15.6 per game. Their .783 OPS is also third in the bigs. Second baseman Chase Utley, who hasn’t played a game this season because of chronic tendinitis in his knees, took some ground balls before Thursday’s game. There still is no timetable for his return. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Utley won’t move beyond batting practice and pregame activities until he’s ready to play in a game. After missing three games for the birth of his first child, shortstop Jimmy Rollins led off for the Phillies on Thursday. He went 2-for-6 with a strikeout in the victory and is 94 hits away from 2,000.

Washington Nationals: Shortstop Ian Desmond has hit eight home runs this season, tying his total from 2011. He’s only two away from his career high of 10 long balls, which he clubbed in 2010. The eight homers lead all NL shortstops. The Nationals face off against the Braves for the first time this season in a battle for first place. The Nationals are up one game, so they will have to win the three-game series in order to leave Atlanta in first place by themselves.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

Newer or updated injuries are at the beginning of each team’s injury report.

Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones (left calf contusion) is day to day. Brian McCann (flu) is day to day. Jonny Venters (calf bruise) is day to day. Robert Fish (left elbow tendinitis) was put on the disabled list on April 2, retroactive to March 26. It is still unsure when he’ll return. Peter Moylan (recovering from right shoulder surgery last season) is currently rehabbing, and is expected to return sometime in May or June. Arodys Vizcaino (elbow reconstruction surgery) had Tommy John Surgery on March 20, and will be out the remainder of the season.

Miami Marlins: Austin Kearns (right hamstring strain) was placed on the disabled list on May 24. Emilio Bonafacio (left thumb) is expected to have surgery on May 25. Jose Ceda (ligament tear in right elbow) had Tommy John Surgery on April 12, and will be out the remainder of the season.

New York Mets: Miguel Batista (strained lower back) was placed on the disabled list on May 20. Jason Bay (rib fracture) is expected to start DHing in rehab games on May 27. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) took part in running drills on May 24. Josh Thole (concussion) is expected to catch for the first time on May 25. Chris Young (torn right anterior capsule) makes his next rehab start on May 25.  Pedro Beato (right shoulder stiffness) pitched for Class A on May 22. Mike Pelfrey (partial tear of ulnar collateral ligament) is currently on the disabled list, as of April 24, and had Tommy John Surgery on it to end his season.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin De Fratas (sprained right elbow) is scheduled to resume a throwing program on May 25. Lance Nix (calf) was able to walk but not run as of May 19. Chase Utley (left knee) ran and fielded grounders on May 17. Michael Martinez (right foot fracture) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Ryan Howard (recovering from Achilles surgery) is fielding, throwing, and hitting as of May 16. Vance Worley (right elbow inflammation, bone chips in elbow) was placed on the disabled list on May 16, retroactive to May 12. Jim Thome (strained lower back) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Michael Stutes (mild rotator cuff strain) was shut down for 2-3 weeks as of May 11. David Herndon (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the disabled list on May 1, retroactive to April 30.

Washington Nationals: Stephen Strasburg (arm tightness) is not expected to miss a start. Mike Morse (right lat strain) is expected to start extended spring training on May 25. Brad Lidge (abdominal wall strain) threw a bullpen session on May 23. Ryan Mattheus (Plantar fascia strain in left foot) was placed on the disabled list on May 22, retroactive to May 21. Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) started baseball activities on May 17. Drew Storen (bone chips in right elbow) made 100 throws from flat ground on May 16. Sandy Leon (sprained right ankle) was placed on the disabled list on May 15. Wilson Ramos (torn ACL) was placed on the disabled list on May 13, and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 15. He is out for the season. Jayson Werth (broken left wrist) was placed on the disabled after undergoing surgery. He is expected to be out at least 10-12 weeks. Christopher Marrero (torn next hamstring, shoulder) is having lingering hamstring and shoulder issues. Cole Kimball (recovering from right shoulder surgery) had surgery in July of 2011, and won’t return until July at the earliest.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Washington Nationals

Miami Marlins VS San Francisco Giants

New York Mets VS San Diego Padres

Philadelphia Phillies @ St. Louis Cardinals

Washington Nationals @ Atlanta Braves

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The report covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, and updated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: On Friday, May 11, the Braves signed Felix Pie to a minor league contract and sent him to the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. Jason Heyward got his first career start in center field on Wednesday, and Brandon Beachy got his first complete game shutout on Thursday. Also on Thursday, the Braves signed Sergio Miranda.

Miami Marlins: Marlins Park is one of the candidates to host the 2015 All Star Game. Ozzie Guillen announced he was done with Twitter. On Friday, May 11, Emilio Bonifacio broke the Marlins record for most stolen bases to start the season with a perfect stolen base percentage with two stolen bases, breaking the record of 15 in 15 attempts. It is now 20 in 20 attempts. Also on Friday, the Marlins recalled Kevin Mattison and Mike Dunn and sent down Sandy Rosario. On Tuesday, the Marlins sent down Kevin Mattison and recalled Bryan Petersen.

Philadelphia Phillies: On Friday, May 11, the Phillies placed Lance Nix on the disabled list, and transferred Justin De Fratus to the 60-day disabled list. On Friday, the Phillies also sent down Brian Sanchez and brought up Raul Valdes, Hector Luna, and Jake Diekman. On Saturday, the Phillies traded Scott Posednik to the Red Sox for cash. They also sent down Erik Kratz, called up Mike Fontenot, and transferred Michael Martinez to the 60-day disabled list. On Monday, Placido Polanco reached 2,000 hits, and on Wednesday the Phillies traded Rich Thompson to the Tampa Bay Rays for minor leaguer Kyle Hudson. They also recalled Joe Savery, and Vance Worley was placed on the disabled list. On Thursday, Placido Polanco suffered a bruised left knee after fouling a ball off of it.

Washington Nationals: Adam LaRoche announced he wanted to remain with the Nationals after this season. On Sunday, Wilson Ramos was placed on the disabled list and Sandy Leon was called up. On Monday, Bryce Harper hit his first Major League home run. On Tuesday, Sandy Leon was placed on the disabled list, Wilson Ramos was transferred to the 60-day disabled list, and Carlos Maldonado was called up.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

Newer or updated injuries are at the beginning of each team’s injury report.

Atlanta Braves: Robert Fish (left elbow tendinitis) was put on the disabled list on April 2, retroactive to March 26. It is still unsure when he’ll return. Peter Moylan (recovering from right shoulder surgery last season) is currently rehabbing, and is expected to return sometime in May or June. Arodys Vizcaino (elbow reconstruction surgery) had Tommy John Surgery on March 20, and will be out the remainder of the season.

Miami Marlins: Jose Ceda (ligament tear in right elbow) had Tommy John Surgery on April 12, and will be out the remainder of the season.

New York Mets: Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) was placed on the disabled list on May 7. As of May 13, he was not cleared for baseball activities. Miguel Batista (groin tightness) is day to day. Jason Bay (rib fracture) was cleared for baseball activities on May 14. Josh Thole (concussion) was cleared for baseball activities on May 16. Chris Young (torn right anterior capsule) will return late May at the earliest. He pitched 5.2 innings in a rehab start on May 16.  Mike Pelfrey (partial tear of ulnar collateral ligament) is currently on the disabled list, as of April 24, and had Tommy John Surgery on it to end his season. Pedro Beato (right shoulder stiffness) suffered the injury in late March and currently is on the disabled list. There is no timetable for his return.

Philadelphia Phillies: Placido Polanco (bruised left knee) is day to day. Chase Utley (left knee) ran and fielded grounders on May 17. Michael Martinez (right foot fracture) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Ryan Howard (recovering from Achilles surgery) is fielding, throwing, and hitting as of May 16. Vance Worley (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the disabled list on May 16, retroactive to May 12. Jim Thome (strained lower back) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Justin De Fratas (sprained right elbow) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 11. Lance Nix (calf) was placed on the disabled list on May 11. Michael Stutes (mild rotator cuff strain) was shut down for 2-3 weeks as of May 11. David Herndon (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the disabled list on May 1, retroactive to April 30.

Washington Nationals: Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) started baseball activities on May 17. Drew Storen (bone chips in right elbow) made 100 throws from flat ground on May 16. Sandy Leon (sprained right ankle) was placed on the disabled list on May 15. Wilson Ramos (torn ACL) was placed on the disabled list on May 13, and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 15. He is out for the season. Brad Lidge (abdominal wall strain) threw from flat ground on May 14. Chien-Ming Wang (strained left hamstring) will make his final rehab start on May 19. Mike Morse (right lat strain) will go to extended spring training on May 21. Jayson Werth (broken left wrist) was placed on the disabled after undergoing surgery. He is expected to be out at least 10-12 weeks. Christopher Marrero (torn next hamstring, shoulder) is having lingering hamstring and shoulder issues. Cole Kimball (recovering from right shoulder surgery) had surgery in July of 2011, and won’t return until July at the earliest.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves @ Tampa Bay Rays

Miami Marlins @ Cleveland Indians

New York Mets @ Toronto Blue Jays

Philadelphia Phillies VS Boston Red Sox

Washington Nationals VS Baltimore Orioles

For Christmas, I received a great gift from my mother; it was a small book title Fun Facts for Baseball Fans, compiled by Paul Kent. It is a great read because it doesn’t take you all that long to get through, and you learn so much about the game in such a short period of time.

One of the facts that I thought was the most interesting was the amount of professional leagues that were formed before the American and National Leagues were formed, stabilized, and have obviously stood the test of time. It was back in 1839 when Abner Doubleday is credited with inventing the game of baseball in his hometown of Cooperstown, New York. I took another 19 years until fans paid to watch baseball for the first time in 1858. So, as professional baseball became a reality, there needed to be governing bodies present.

Since 1871, Paul Kent noted that there have been seven different leagues that had been in existence:

• National Association (1871-1875)
• National League (1876-present)
• American Association (1882-1891)
• Union Association (1884)
• Players League (1890)
• American League (1901-present)
• Federal League (1914-1915)

Now, if you were like me when I read this, I was thoroughly confused because I never knew that there were five other “major leagues” that were formed and failed. What I also thought was cool was that Kent listed some of teams that eventually moved to the leagues we know today, and told us about the teams that were forever lost to history.

In the American Association, there were four organizations that are still around today that moved to the National League in 1891, which are: the Dodgers, reds, Pirates, and Cardinals. The teams that (thankfully) were lost in history forever from the American Association were: Brooklyn Gladiators, Cincinnati Kelly’s Killers, Columbus Solons, and the Rochester Hop Bitters.

For the short-lived Union Association, some little known teams that didn’t stand the test of time were: the Baltimore Monumentals, Altoona Mountain City, Pittsburgh Stogies, St. Louis Maroons, St. Paul Apostles, and Wilmington Quick Steps. In the Players League, the Brooklyn Wards Wonders, Cleveland Infants, and Pittsburgh Burghers didn’t make the cut.

Finally, the last league Kent touched upon that lost organizations after they folded was the Federal League, which lost the Baltimore Terrapins, Brooklyn Tip-Tops, Buffalo Buffeds, Chicago Whales, Indianapolis Hoosiers, Kansas City Packers, Newark Peps, Pittsburgh Rebels, and St. Louis Terriers.

I don’t know about you, but I had tons of fun just reading all of the ridiculous names of these unsuccessful organizations. If you think that the recent expansion teams names were kind of silly, just take a look back at what the names used to be…it was a lot worse back in the day.

this is part of the reason why baseball is such a wonderful game; there is so much history that goes uncovered by the ordinary fan that you could literally spend days going through and digesting it all. I hope you enjoyed this trip back through time with me, because even though this is the first history lesson, it surely won’t be the last, thanks to these awesome Christmas gifts from my family and loved ones!

Like what you’re reading? Feel free to take a look at my MLB blog titled “On The Way Home“ .