It’s a fairytale story to say the least. Childhood Mets fan and Whitestone, Queens native Mike Baxter wound up suiting up for hometown team last summer. Though his playing time was limited, it still must have been a great thrill for him to be playing right at home. But this year, Baxter legitimately won a roster spot in spring training as the fifth outfielder/left-handed pinch hitter. And now, with Jason Bay on the disabled list, [...]

Through the first six games, the umpiring in the games the Mets have played has been rather suspect. But we really saw it take a turn for the worse this series against the Nationals. Larry Vanover, a 21-year MLB veteran umpire, made a few key questionable calls in this series. The first actually benefitted the Mets when Adam LaRoche was called out at second base in the first game of the series on a play [...]

Based on the Mets 50-year history of mostly losing records, trends would normally dictate that the team would have a losing record on Opening Day. However, it’s the complete opposite. The Mets have a 30-20 record in the season’s first game—a .600 winning percentage. Maybe there’s just something about Opening Day that gets the team amped. But actually, the Mets lost their first six Opening Days and eight of their first nine. Starting in 1971 [...]

As most readers of this site know, I’m the eternal optimist. Until the Mets are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, I still have hope—no matter how bad the team is playing. But even I have to admit that this year, it will be tough for the Mets to finish higher than fifth place in the NL East. That’s based though more on the other teams in the division on paper than on the Mets. However, [...]

Ever since losing the NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 when they were destined to win, it seems the Mets have been a snake-bitten franchise. The collapses of 2007-08, the injury plagued years from 2009-11 and of course the Madoff ponzi scheme have marred the past few years for this franchise. The combination of injuries and the lack of spending power have meant that the organization simply has had to move forward with [...]

Ever since Mike Piazza’s departure, the catcher position for the Mets has been in a state of flux. Paul LoDuca, Brian Schneider, Rod Barajas, Henry Blanco and Ronny Paulino are just some of the catchers to suit up behind the dish. Last season, the Mets handed the mask to young Josh Thole, and he seems to be the No. 1 guy again for this season, though Terry Collins has made it a point to Thole [...]

There’s been a lot of talk about the Miami Marlins all offseason, so I’ll keep the trend going. Let me start off by saying, I downright love the “Home Run Apple.” Whether it’s the old one outside Citi Field or the new one inside the stadium, the Home Run Apple is a Mets and baseball icon. In addition to bringing multiple high-profile free agents including Jose Reyes, the Marlins have made headlines with their brand [...]

Though the Mets did not make any huge splashes this offseason, the final 25-man roster has pretty much taken shape already based on the team’s acquisitions. Barring any injuries in spring training, the starting lineup looks set: Davis, Murphy, Tejada, Wright, Thole, Bay, Torres and Duda. Even the starting pitching staff won’t look too different than Santana, Dickey, Pelfrey, Niese and Gee (with maybe a few early starts to fill in for Santana still in [...]

The days are ticking away until pitchers and catchers report for spring training followed by the rest of the team. Let’s take a look at some of the notable dates to circle on your calendar in anticipation of the 2012 Mets season. April 5- Mets Opening Day The team will begin the season at home against the Atlanta Braves. Most likely, Johan Santana will not be pitching this game, and the nod may go to [...]

Today was supposed to be the deadline that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig finalized the plans to expand the playoff structure to include two wild card teams. However, scheduling and logistics remain areas open for debate, which has halted the process. Still, if MLB agrees to expand the postseason, it increases each team’s chances by one spot. The two wild card teams would play a one-game playoff to see who advances to the Division Series. Where [...]

Here are some Mets thoughts from the afternoon media session from Tuesday’s 23rd annual MLB B.A.T. Dinner. Gary Sheffield Sheffield said it was not difficult for him to retire after his long career, which included a World Series championship in 1997 with the Marlins and hitting his 500th career home run as a Met. “I pretty much did everything I wanted to do on a baseball field,” he said. He has enjoyed spending time playing [...]