New York Mets 2009

[sonny10305]

Johnny Maine looked great yesterday, the ole John is back. He had great command over his fastball; all he needs to do is put a little more on it. Oh, and learn how to bunt, I don’t expect that much at the plate from pitchers but I do expect them to be able to bunt and move the base runners. It’s ok though I still loved what I saw in Johnny yesterday going 5 innings with 75 pitches jamming and poundin the zone like the good ole days.

Murphy Murphy Murphy, what else can I say, A triple, a double and tow RBIs. That kid loves that gap don’t he? Cycle next time Danny boy?

Thole rebounded a bit yesterday, he had been struggling a bit for a couple of days. He adjusted nicely and is getting better at laying off the high fastballs. (musta spoke to Murph).

I did not see the game live, I watched it on my DVR last night, but my dad wants to thank the guys in the booth for the Jet game updates.

I often like to write about good fundamental baseball and yesterday the Nats pulled off a text book hit and run and we gotta give them credit. It was in the fifth inning when the hit and run was put on and Castillo got caught off the line trying to cover second, the ball got through as planned and the runner took first. Well done, even for the Nats.
Speaking of Castillo, I had to love the cheers and applause coming from the Mets dugout when he got hit by that ball but toughed it out, big smile on Luis face, priceless.

 

[sonny10305]

What a bloodbath!
Poor Misch, I don’t understand what has happened to this kid. So full of promise coming up through the Giants farm system. He went from a stud in his first Mets outing to a dud in his last two. I seriously feel really bad for him, he has to be confused, at least he sure looked that way in the dugout when he was pulled from last nights game with the Citi crowd booing him. Too many balls up and out over the middle, eight runs in less than two inning of work, obviously it did not take the opposing teams long to pick up on to his mistakes and take advantage of them. I don’t expect him back, Expect Stoner or Broadway to replace him in the next start. I would hope they give Parnell some serious bull pen work and then work him back into the rotation for the last week; I would like to see Bobby get another shot in the rotation before the end of the season. But sadly Misch is done.

The good news came from the pen which pitched well, but what the Hell was Parnell doing out there. He should NOT be pitching this week, he should be doing long bull pen sessions with Warthen sharpening his pitching skills, WTF is wrong with Manual does he not get that?
I also thought it sad that it took so many relief pitchers to get the job done. What, we have no one in that pen that can pitch more than an inning or two?

Daniel Murphy continued his outstanding audition for 2010, with another double (that’s 36) and another homer (that would be his 11th) what was that some fools (me included) have been sayin about his lack of power.
Saucy and I both predicted that he would be a major player for the Mets, and every day, fielding errors aside (he is still learning 1st) he gets better and better. Murphy is batting .266, leads the Mets with 11 home runs and 36 doubles. Did you know that Murphy is tied with Albert Pujols for the most extra base hits hit in September? The Irish hammer, I love that kid.

 

[Sausy]

I bet after last night,David Wright wouldn't mind seeing Chipper Jones retire after next year.Chipper put a hurt on us again!


Pat Misch....ouch.Saw the score and could not watch the game last game.Brutal!I agree sonny,I feel bad for him but he probably has lost his spot.Maine on the other hand the other night....very pleased he came back so well,getting five innings of terrific pitching in,showing good velocity and looking hopeful he'll be all the way back next year.

Sonny,you're so right about Daniel Murphy....I think he can be a doubles machine in CitiField if the Mets higher ups just leave him alone,let him cointinue to regain his confidence and swagger as a hitter.Jerry Manuel said that it depends on adding power in another spot if the Mets would assure Daniel Murphy to be the Mets first baseman next year...which possibly would mean a power upgrade in left,which would hurt I think if it means Angel Pagan would come off the bench rather than start defensively and offensively,setrting the table.Pagan HAS TO become a smarter,much less indecisive baserunner.But Murphy has adapted to the league and is showing the promise again he did after joining the Mets last August.

I also very much am in agreement with you sonny on Luis Castillo...who would have pictured him the most consistent,steady Met after last season...especially after the infamous error droping the ball costing the Mets a win over the Yankees?

 

[sonny10305]

Saucy, David was surprised by the possibility of Chipper retirering David said Chipper knows himself better than anybody else knows him, but I would be surprised, because he still has so much left in the tank,'' David went on to say, “I completely understand, it would be tough to know what you've done in the past, and you're mind's kind of telling you one thing and your body's kind of not allowing you. I don't think that's the case with Chipper. I think he still has a lot of mileage left. But I completely understand kind of the thought process that goes into that.

Luis just keeps on getting the job done; he came into spring training fit and ready to go. That dropped ball just motivated him all the more and he has been on fire ever since that happened.

Another great pitching performance last night this time from Figueroa, it was great to see him go 7 innings. The 4th was tough on him allowing two runs on two hits, but a very good outing. But the Mets lack of offense once again, did not support him.

Nelson could certainly return in 2010 as a swing man or spot starter. I also saw Stokes and Green both have made adjustments; those mechanical changes are just what the doctor ordered.

Big Pelf tonight, an important game for him, we need to see continued improvement, or forget about him as our in our #2 starter for 2010. As of now my opinion is he will not be #2, the Mets must, absolutely must, go out and get a strong arm for 2010, maybe two.

 

[Sausy]

I saw the article about David's reactions to Chipper's openly entertaining the poosibility of retirement after next season,depending on health and productivity.It's tough for a fan contemplating never seeing a respected rival with such a great career resume leaving the scene,after so much drama and excitement....I can imagine how it would be for a player who is so genuinely well respected and liked as Chipper with his peers(as our David is and will one day have to face the same process),you don't want to say goodbye,you want the competition to last forever if it could be arranged.

How many times Chipper rose to the occasion against the Mets,a guy we loved to hate and serenade by his real name,"Larry"....even when he failed he had the respect and admiration however of the Mets fan,who appreciate how he plays the game and conducts himself on the field even if they passionately hate the Atlanta uniform.He had to pick last night,however,to give us another glimpse of the clutch,icewater in his veins Chipper!


It's gonna be a little emptier when he leaves the stage,and I'm hoping like David,yourself and so masny others he does have enough to stay around til the end of his contract rather than hang up the spikes after next year.I know he'll do everything he possibly can to ready himself for a return to form,at least to a more productive,consistent season next year.

 

[sonny10305]

Saucy, excellent post on Chipper. somehow think he will be back, as long as he feels well and has a reasonably productive year. The biggest change for me will be not seeing Bobby Cox in the dugout. I mean he was manger of the Braves before I was born.
What a baseball man, one of a kind. Braves will hold on to him with a 5 year deal to act as consultant.

So we have now lost 13 of our last 16, well at least we should do well in the draft picks.

Pelfrey not terrible, although he gave up four runs, and nine hits in six innings.
I dono if you noticed but it was all Schneider’s game, Pelf did everything according to Brian’s game call. We also saw more of Mike’s curveball. But, and I have complained about this here too many times, Pelf’s sinker wasn’t sinking. He has got to forget about the base runners, which is what causes him to fail here. Member I told you guys he holds the ball to tight.

Day off today then off to Florida, now that we have helped crush the Marlins wild card hopes by letting the braves win it’s time for a little payback, go to Florida and complety kill off any possibilities of them and the wildcard.
Those smelly fish have it comin, and if we nothing else in theses last few days we gotta kill em off.

 

[sonny10305]

Yesterday I hung out all day with my bud who is a ballplayer with the Brookyn Cyclones. The conversation quickly turned to David Wright who played a couple of rehab game with the cyclones after he came off the DL. What I learned is something I just seemed to already know and that is that David is a down to earth sweetheart of a guy. He made himself available to all the players, teaching them, sharing baseball stories and was just a pleasure to have around.

I asked my boy what he thought was going on with David these last few months, he just has not been the same dyanamic player he was.
We talked about how David seems to have expanded his zone, getting pounded up and in. It is as if he does not seem to know where his strike zone is anymore, guessing a lot more than he ever did. David is making a mistake when ever he tries to go up the middle or tries to go the other way, what he used to do, and should do, is wait. that way you tend to go a liitle longer, making the swing a bit later, that is the way you will go up the middle. Pitchers are striking him out a lot more now, because David is waiting that extra second to swing and the ball is getting by him.Sounds like an easy thing to adjust but obviously it is not or David would have made that adjustment by now.

Since I was out all day yesterday I missed the game, glad we beat the Marlins and hope that we will continue to play spoiler to them. Wright played his 836th game at third base which is the most for that position in Mets history; he passed Ho Jo’s record of 835.

Speaking of David and Ho Jo, they have already planned their annual off season hitting camp trip together and Jeff Francoeur is joining them this year. David and Ho Jo are very tight, David calls Howard his baseball father, and since coming over to the Mets, Francoeur and Wright have formed a close bond. One of the things Jeff helped David was with the media, David was always the go to guy after just about every game and it became rather stressful for David. Jeff recognized this and started to make himself available at his locker every day to take some of the pressure off David.

Just eight more games left for the Mets, then this season will come to a merciful end.

 

[sonny10305]

DAVID WRIGHT IS BROKEN!

Yesterday I wrote about a conversation I had with a Cyclones ball player about David Wright. He does not seem to be able to make the adjustments at the plate which seem very obvious to so many which is perplexing. His timing is all messed up, swinging late, and what is that thing he is doing now resting the bat on his shoulder? Then yesterday he made that base running blunder and missed scoring a run.
In a disturbing interview David admitted to thinking about that inside pitch. I have noticed as I am sure all of you have that he is spooked by them. Many at bats will find him ducking swinging his head back, just seems very tense and concerned about getting hit again. Opposing pitchers will and are taking advantage of that. Of course that would be normal I am sure I would react the same way. Question is how long before he gets over that? Will he be completely cured of the fear next season or not. It has happened to payers before who have never fully recovered from that sort of thing and are never the same. Perhaps a sports phycologist would be of some help or better yet our boy will be back good as new in 2010. Just about everyone I have spoken to about this thinks he will be fine next year….so do I.
The facts are these, he is hitting just .221 with 30 strikeouts in just 23 games since returning from the disabled list, he has also struck out 135 times. I checked and found that last year he struck out 118 times.

Looks like he will get today off, and after yesterday’s performance I agree it would be good for him, maybe pinch hit and crush a grand slam or something. Man, that would help cure him.

Meantime Jose Reyes who was rumored to be returning for a couple of games next week is not going to play. The good news is he did finally run yesterday and Jerry Manuel said he ran with “intensity”. But in spite of the encouraging results, Reyes will not play this year, but is expected to play either winter ball or workout at the Mets facility in the Dominican Republic.

Then there is Delgado who was also rumored to be planning on playing in a game or two before the end of the season, but that ain’t happin either, Carlos left the team and has gone home to Puerto Rico.

I fired up the DVR and watched some of yesterday’s game late last night and was totally disappointed by Maine, He was back to being lost and confused and pitched badly, and I could not believe what Keith Hernandez said about liking how John was pitching. Was he watching a different game than I was? John sucked, he hit two batters, had little control, and I don’t think had a clue where the ball was going, and was constantly missing his target. I also think Santos was no help to John at all they were not working well together, Schneider should have been in there with Maine. Johns command issues and lousy mechanics make it very difficult for him to throw the ball anywhere other than up and in to right hander’s and away from the lefties.
John took a giant step backwards yesterday, which is very up setting to me cause it points to a problem with his shoulder. I also worry about that dead arm issue again.

I will have more to say about pitching for 2010 next week.

 

[sonny10305]

Even with the Mets season over we can still have a heart warming, magnificent event like yesterdays. Misch pitched a shutout perfect game, the kind of stuff us baseball lovers dream about
Many, me included had given up on that kid, but pretty much out of desperation Jerry manual gave him another shot. Oh my goodness what an event that turned out to be. Dudes, I could barely breathe through that bottom of the 9th as one by one Frankie mowed em down given Pat that win. Of course a lot of credit has to o to Jeff Francoeur and that outstanding catch to rob the Marlins of a run and keep the shutout going. Credit also to Thole for a great job calling the game and keeping Misch in pace.

A magical day for us weary Mets fans, we deserved that.

As if that were not enough I got my wish and the Mets all but closed the door on any chances of the Marlins wild card dreams. A little payback, not as good as they got us for two years but I’ll take it.

Later that day befoe going to Washington the Mets lead bt Wright had some fun with the annual Rookie hazing.
Daniel Murphy was forced to dress as a Dirty Martini, Omir Santos dressed as Robin, Josh Thole was a Playboy bunny, as did Ken Takahashi and his interpreter, Shingo Kan, Lance Broadway was a nurse, Stoner a French maid, Nick Evans was Minnie Mouse and Bobby Parnell signed autographs dressed as a French maid. In case you did not know D Wright has organized this event the last 3 years.

The group with Wright

Broadway and Stoner

Evans and Thole

Thole

Parnell

Santos

Takahashi

 

[gtru1981]

Does anyone know when Davids annual gala is?? I want to go and how do you get tickets?

 

[NYDan815]

ahahahaha! that was hilarious! those pictures are priceless, and some even sexy! lmao! great!

 

[Sausy]

Saw the pics in the paper....loved em,they were really cute!Unfortunately,they seem to be down here now!

Speaking of David Wright,it's got to be eating at him the way he's performing right now.The concussion,trying to get back to being his agressive self...it's been hard,especially the way he has struck out so much this year and the way the club just fell apart under the strain of all the injuries has had to weigh so much on his mind,that he hasn't contributed consistency like his old self.But I'm optimistic like sonny he'll be back next year,he has as much passion and dedication and professionalism as anyone could,and I know he was mortified by the play in which not scoring on Jeff Francouer's hit cost the Mets an important run,possibly the game the other night.He knows that's so not like him and I 'm glad he owned up to it and apologized to his teammates and to Mets fans.....and I'm equally optimistic the Mets will be in the thick of things.

I hope sonny and all our Mets fans here like my new siggy....taken by my brother when we attended Mets vs St. Louis on August 5 from our vantage point sitting at the top of the Pepsi Porch section.A stirring 9-0 win(marred by the horrible injury to Jon Niese,but with the gutsy four plus inning turn by Nelson Figueroa)David Wright hit a two run homer,there was another by Angel Pagan....as well as two triples,one by Pagan and another by Cory Sullivan.It was a very gratifying high point for me and my brother as Mets fans,our first time ever at CitiField.One of their best games of the year,coming the day after a horrible shellacking by the Cards.I'm keeping my siggies Mets related til spring training,can't wait for them to arrive in Florida next February!

 

[sonny10305]

gtru, David's 5th Do the Wright Thing Gala will be in November. I will post more info as it becomes available. Meantime you can follow the events here:
http://www.mlb.com/players/david_wright/foundation/index.jsp

Saucy, I do like your new siggy. Sounds like a great day at the park with your bro, my favorite moments are from Keystone park in Brooklyn with the Cyclones, I love going there and watching games, talking with the guys, good fun.
You are right on target with David, he has spoken about that and is truly spooked and down about it all. He is having trouble getting his head around it, but like you wrote, he will be fine, just needs time. As to that base running error on Francours hit, David not only apologized to his teammates as he came back to the dugout but again later in the locker room to all of them. This season can't end too soon for David he needs to get away from all this pressure and get his mind cleared out of the whole '09 mess. And as you said, he absolutely will.

Another good pitching performance yesterday this time from Nelson Fiqueroa. The starting rotation auditions continue for 2010.
Unfortunately he got no support and once again we left too many guys (10) in scoring position

Tonight it will be Mike Pelfrey and J.D. Martin.

 

[sonny10305]

Pelf did a lot better last night, in fact he was excellent, that is until there were base runners. Then once again, cause he was pitching in the streach, he lost it. His fastball velocity decreased and his slider became ineffective, actually, till then I was happy to se him throwing that slider again pounding the strikes Zone and looking sharp. Until….well you know, I am sure you guys are tired of hearing me bitch about Pelf and his inability to pitch from the stretch but it happened again last night, he has got to get that fixed in the off season. His performance from the windup and from the stretch is night and day for him.
He may not get another shot this season cause Manual has said Pelf won’t pitch on his regular start on Sunday, Manual gave some convoluted, WTF is he talking about, reason, but I wanna see Pelf go out with a win, oh, and pitch well from the stretch, (there I go again)

Loaded bases no one out and we don’t score?? Loaded bases and we score just one unearned run?
Yup that’s how it went…. again.
And what exactly happened with Hernandez and Castillo, dudes, that was a routine double play,
are you kidding me?

At least D Wright has a good night 2-4 and of course robbed in the 9th by that potential game winning rocket caught by the Nats. I think when I yelled FUCK after that catch, I hurt my lungs.
Poor David truly robbed of the game winner; I guess the season has now started to affect the way he dresses off field. Usually the dapper and well dressed David looks sharp in civvies’ but here is his WTF was he thinking look.

 

[sonny10305]

Sorry guys that Wright blast would not have won the game but prolly tied it. I guess I am still woosie from that catch Dukes made, did not mean to confuse you.

But even if david had tied the game and the Mets lost, i would still have celebrated Wrights night. Soooo good to see him hitting the ball again his ,last two games. He needs to maintain that .300 average going into the winter.

 

[Sausy]

I wanted to talk about David last night,two doubles and an RBI and just fucking robbed by Dukes of a third double that would tie the score.But tonight was just brutal....Green scares the shit out of me whenever he pitches (Another fine effort by Tim Redding down the drain)and WTF was with Frankie Rodriguez pitch selection?Walks,errors.....a fucking mess tonight,culminating of course in a walkoff grand slam by rookie Justin Maxwell,turning a 4-2 Met lead going to the bottom of the ninth to a pathetic 7-4 Nationals win.Five runs in the ninth!We can't even end the season on a hopeful note....the same fundamental errors and unforgivable lapses of judgement(Angel Pagan,I'm looking at you....sheesh,such a talent but such horrible baserunning instincts)that it's just so terribly disheartening.

A sweep by the lowly Nationals.....they just wanted it more than the Mets did,it seems.Something to restore that passion has to occur in the offseason....we've got to be a far mentally tougher,far more determined and focused club next year or we'll be right back to a repeat of this season's misery.I'm just so bummed as a Mets fan....I am patient and positive deep down,knowing there may be bad stretches but the final result is the most important destination.But it's going to take me awhile to really believe in this club again,even if they make changes in the offseason.The most important thing that must go....no debate about it,though is the clubhouse culture from the top of the organization down to the players.Only if the atmosphere and direction changes can there really be a return of belief the Mets can be again at the very least a strong,credible contender.

 

[Sausy]

(Now Jose Reyes goes and tears the hamstring....he'll definitely need surgery and who knows if he'll be able to start the season.When it rains,it pours over the land of the Amazins'

 

[Sausy]

David is hot as hell,and if anyone could make that shirt work,he could....but every time I look at that shirt,I just bust out laughing ...it is THAT cheesy.

 

[sonny10305]

So beautifully said Saucy, my dad said exactly what you did, that that the Nats wanted that win more than the Mets did. Just look at how they celebrated after yesterdays game, it was heartwarming to watch. Look, I have no problem with the Nats, as say the Marlins, so it was easy for me to enjoy watching them celebrate after the year they have had….good for them.
So much of what Saucy wrote is dead on, the mental and focus aspects in particular, I am sure the passion will return and I will have no problem being there for them from day one of spring training. Whatever changes come about will be important and I plan on eleberating on that next week, but that element of the “amazins” must return or nothing will change, they must get back to the fundamentals which were a disaster in the Nats series. It begins at the top with the wilpon’s filtering thru Omar and Jerry, the players will never make it without the help and support from the top on down. It’s what feeds them, they can play hard and bounce back but only if they are fed from management.

As I already said the Nats series was a disaster, the boys played not even with the passion and skills of a little league team. I played harder and better than they did when I was 7 in Pee wee ball. Saucy mentioned Green and you have to wonder what kind of death wish Manual has when he does the same thing two nights in a row and that was replace Feliciano who was pitching well with Green. Sure enough once again last night as he did the night before Green did all he could to fuck things up. Saucy also mentioned K-Rod and his pitch selection, I wondered the same thing, I mean what was with all those breaking balls? He threw about 40 pitches in the ninth inning, and not looked like he was had little command and it has been that way for months now.
Frankie made some comments after yesterday’s game which included an including an apology to the fans, he also said he was embarrassed, and “I make no excuses, I suck”.

Keith Hernandez, who was clearly disgusted during the ninth inning, said it best, “Lord Have Mercy”

 

[sonny10305]

(Now Jose Reyes goes and tears the hamstring....he'll definitely need surgery and who knows if he'll be able to start the season.When it rains,it pours over the land of the Amazins'

David is hot as hell,and if anyone could make that shirt work,he could....but every time I look at that shirt,I just bust out laughing ...it is THAT cheesy.

The Reyes thing is a bit complicated. Apparently Jose did not want to have the surgery and decided to delay it until he was sure it did not heal on its own through rehab. What he had was partial ham sting tear which normally will heal without surgery. What now has to be repaired is the Ham string tendon which is something we don’t even need; in fact it is often used for Tommy John’s replacement surgery. What happened was he began to have irritation and then it snapped, he now has scare tissue which will have to be cleaned out. If that is all that will be needed he should be fine and ready for spring training. BUT, if it is later revealed that more is needed he could face about six months before he s completely healed. So best case scenario is 6-8 weeks and worst case could be as much as six months. It is looking like he will be fine after the surgery and good to go by spring.

AS for David Wright’s shirt, hideous describes it perfectly; I am surprised that the normally well dressed Wright looked in the mirror and said yeah, I look good. Then he decided to finish off the ensemble with a loud yellow watch band on his wrist to compliment the look he had crated that day. Poor baby, I am going to have to dress him every day fro now on. I mean it’s a tough job but obviously someone has to do it.

See what happens when there is no game to write about, I get all goofy.