Mets Fans Forever

Meet the Mess

Author: Clare Lafferty

Boy, where do I start?

Bernie Madoff - enough said.

Jeff and Fred Wilpon -telling the fans that the Mets were OK, then telling everyone that they were entertaining offers for a minority share in the Mets and then having to borrow 25 mil from MLB. Yeah, we're just fine.

On the field, the Ollie and Castillo soap opera continues. Personally, I think that Castillo is getting a bad rap - at least he tries and gives it his all. Ollie is just plain awful. I don't know why the Mets just cut him loose and move on.

Are you as embarrassed as I am?

Since I live in Phillies country, this couldn't get much worse. But, there are some positive things as we go into spring training.

I am really looking forward to seeing the progress of Angel Pagan. Here's hoping he can  build on last year's success and now that Carlos Beltran has agreed to move to right field, Pagan can stop worrying about his role and embrace it.

I am also hoping that R.A.Dickey can have another solid year to help this rotation while we all wait for (hopefully) Johan Santana to return in the summer.

We have some good young talent with Jon Niese, Josh Thole and Ike Davis and they should just get better with experience.

How will Jason Bay bounce back from last year's disappointing short season? And can David Wright and Jose Reyes have the solid years that we all know they are capable of?

 

I know it seems like a big mess right now and that all of baseball is laughing at us. But us Mets fans are better than that. We will weather this storm. We all still love our Mets and nothing can stop us from bleeding orange and blue.

 

Let's Go Mets in 2011 !!

 

(PS..as I am writing this, I hear a rumor that Bobby V is thinking of getting a group together to buy a share in the Mets...now wouldn't  that be interesting!!)

 

Farewell to the Boss

Author: Clare Lafferty

Although this is a Mets blog site, you need to take a moment and think about what George Steinbrenner did for professional baseball and all sports teams. Sure, George had his problems and made some bad decisions. But overall, he was an owner who cared about one thing - winning. And he put all his vast resources to work to ensure that the Yankees would win year after year.

When I think about Mets owners, I think about Joan Payson. Sure, she wanted to win but it was so different back then. You really didn't hear too much about her and what she was doing to make the Mets winners. Then, we had years where corporations and conglomerates owned our Mets. No personal touch there -just a bunch of suits who saw the Mets as an investment, not a passion.

Now, with the Wilpons, I really believe that they are committed to winning. They have not been shy from spending large amounts to get quality players to come to Flushing. I know we haven't been in the Series since 2000, but it's not from lack of trying by ownership.

Love him or hate him, George Steinbrenner was an original - a passionate owner who did not accept anything less than winning it all. I heard a lot of people mention that they would love to have George as their owner because they knew he would do anything to win.

R.I.P. Mr Steinbrenner - and thanks for your passion and committment to winning. You will be sorely missed.

Selig Makes The Right Decision By Not Overturning Blown Call

AUTHOR: GREG POMES

This may not be popular but in this instance commissioner Bud Selig was correct in not reversing the blown call made by umpire Jim Joyce that caused Armando Galarraga a perfect game last night.  Anybody who was watching the game or has seen the replay knows that Joyce blew the call last night.  Galarraga should be the 21st pitcher and the 3rd one this year to throw a perfect game.  Thanks to human error that's not the case.  

Last night on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, ESPN, sports radio, etc... people were calling for Selig to reverse the call.  Selig today announced that he would not reverse the call and for once he has done the right thing.  I'm not a fan of Selig at all, he has been bad for baseball but I agree with him 100%.  This would set a horrible precedent.  

The real problem is the umpires.  Umpiring has been horrible the last few seasons, especially last year during the post season.  The umpires need to realize that people are there to see the teams, not them.  

Last night showed that major league baseball needs more instant replay.  In this day and age we have the technology and the means to insure that what happened last night will not happen again.  Jim Joyce seemed honestly and sincerely sorry for blowing the call last night.  Many writers and people involved in baseball have called Joyce one of the best umpires but his career is now marred with this blown call.  If there was instant replay Joyce and his fellow umps could've looked at the tape and reversed the blown call.  

Bottom line is that reversing the choice would be bad for baseball.  Instant replay is needed and will be good for baseball.  Hopefully after this the unions can get together and implement a new replay rule. 

Reyes to have Surgery

Author: Drew Costello

The Mets announced today that Jose Reyes will have surgery on his leg to repair the scar tissue around the accessory hamstring tendon in his right leg. Reyes should be ready for spring training. Reyes will not have surgery on the separate hamstring tear in his right leg that took place when Reyes ran the bases in September. Dallas Cowboys team Dr. Daniel E. Cooper will perform the surgery.

Jerry Juggles the Coaching Staff

Author: Drew Costello

Jerry Manuel announced in a press conference this afternoon changes for his coaching staff for 2010. Luis Alicea and Sandy Alomar Sr. were relieved from their duties. Manuel cited the team's poor defensive play for the reason they were let go. The other announcement was that Razor Shines will no longer be the team's third base coach. Shines will be reassigned on the coaching staff. Shines removal was due to the team's poor baserunning during the season according to Manuel.

Someone had to take the fall for the team's poor play this season and it seems that Alicea, and Alomar Sr. were the scape goats. This will surely mean that Manuel will be on the hot seat next season if he can't get it done. I fail to see how it was only the coaches fault for the the poor play. Manuel has to take some of the blame here and next season if the trend continues he will not last very long.

Santana Out for the Season due to Elbow Surgery

Author: Drew Costello

Mets fans can all breathe a sigh of relief this afternoon. Johan Santana is out for the season having surgery on his left elbow, but it is not Tommy John Surgery. Johan will have minor surgery to clean up chips in his elbow and should be more than ready for the start of the 2010 season.

I'm not really sure why they didn't look into this when Johan was complaining about it in April. He hasn't been the same pitcher he was last year for most of the season and this is a good reason why. Whoever is running the team next year needs to monitor the issue and make sure we protect what is our most valuable asset.

Mets looking to add lefty reliever?

Author: Drew Costello

Jon Heyman of SI.com has tweeted that the Mets have been looking for a left handed reliever to compliment Pedro Feliciano. The targets are said to be Blue Jays LHP Scott Downs, Nationals LHP Joe Beimel, and Pirates LHP John Grabow.

This doesn't make a ton of sense to me. I understand that the Mets could use another relief pitcher, but they were getting shut out most of the month of July and are in desperate need of a bat. I understand Omar doesn't want to trade prospects, but I have to believe there is a lower end guy like a Russell Branyan that can help the Mets out much more than any of those relief pitchers can right now.

Castillo Leads the Resurgence

Author: Drew Costello

Last night on SNY's broadcast of the game, they showed that Luis Castillo is hitting over .400 in the month of July. Castillo also is hitting over .360 since dropping the famous pop up. He has done most of this from the 2-hole. Howard Johnson has worked with castillo at being more aggresive. Instead of taking a lot of fastballs down the middle he is not taking that pitch and getting solid singles and doubles.

It is time to give credit where credit is due. Castillo has been a punching bag for many fans for the past year and has had quite the bounce back year. The most impressive thing for me was that even after he dropped the pop up, he stood by his locker and took questions. A lot of other guys in the league would have left the clubhouse long before the media was allowed access.

Castillo's hits have given David Wright the chance to get at bats with runners in scoring position. The combination of Castillo being on base, and Francoeur hitting behind him, has allowed David to be pitched to with runners on base. Keep it up Luis you've become a valuable member of this baseball team.

Mets Reject Halladay Deal?

 Author: Drew Costello

It was reported yesterday that Omar Minaya turned down a deal for Blue Jay's ace Roy Halladay. The deal would have sent Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell, andRuben Tejada. Minaya confirmed that the team will be buyers, but it seems as if he is only willing to do a deal if the player is the right fit. This likely means the Mets will not be trading for any rentals and that there will be no blockbuster deal at the deadline.

I know most people would have done the trade, but I am of the opinion that it is time for Omar to build for the future like he promised. We have a nice core of 4 or 5 players in the minors that could be solid major leaguers. It is time for us to start fixing holes from within instead of on the free agency market.

Update by Will Sommer:

Numerous baseball writers including Joel Sherman and Keith Law said Jon Heyman's report is false and that the Mets are not serious in acquiring Halladay.

Brad Holt, Nelson Figueroa Receive Weekly Awards

Author: Drew Costello

Brad Holt was named Eastern League (AA) pitcher of the week. Holt went 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA for the week. Holt is 2-3 with a 5.02 ERA since being promoted to AA. However, hitters are just hitting .216 against the young right hander and this past week shows that he is making great improvements.

It's clear that Holt and Mejia are the Mets best two pitching prospects (Jon Niese having stints with the Mets takes him out of this category). A year from now with the draft picks from last year along with Flores, The Mets may get more respect around the league when it comes to their farm system.

Nelson Figueroa was named International League Pitcher of the week, going 1-0 and lowering his ERA to 2.36. It is the second time Figueroa has received the award having won itfor the week of June 8-14.

I still don't understand why management won't give him another shot. He pitched very well against the Brewers in his one start and is simply dominating AAA. It might be that he is the prototypical AAAA player that dominates the minors but can not make it in the Major Leagues.

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