New York Mets 2011

[sonny10305]

I woke up with a grin on my face this morning and have even giggled a few times already. Why you ask? Well today it the opening of the Mets 210011 season which is for me Christmas 100 times over.

I will as I have for the last few years with help from the many friends I have made on the Mets Cyclones and Bisons report all the news and fun facts and stories. I hope all of you reading this thread will jump in with your comments questions and opinions I look forward to your feedback.

This year in particular is full of excitement and anticipation and hope due to no small part to the replacement of most of the management team most specifically the addition of Alderson and Collins whoa are of course the much need replacements for the tired regime of Minaya and Manual. We are rid of the dead weight like Perez and some of the tired weight like Castillo and added a couple of exciting arms to the starting rotation Chris Young and Chris Capuano both of whom had excellent springs
We have had changes in our team from coaches to position players and now it is time to clean the slate and bring the Mets back to the amazins again.
During spring training we saw hope this year was a very good spring in terms of player’s development and achievement. The team finished 2 games over .500. The new batting coach Dave Hudgens has already shown his ability to make the batters better DWright has not swing the bat as well as he is now for a while and that is very encouraging. Other players like but not limited to Ike Davis and Josh Thole have both shown great hope for a good season tin what we have seen so far in spring. Ike is going to have an amazing year I expect him to increase his homers form last years 19 to at least 30. Thole has been turning in on inside pitch showing the power something he did not do last year all again thanks to Hudgens

Then there is Daniel Murphy who is going to be our primary left-handed hitter off the bench and will give Emaus, Davis and Wright days off here and there. Then expect those Hugh at bats late in games as a PH.

Most of my excitement centers around our new manager Terry Collins who has been a dynamo of energy and excitement getting all the players motivated and pumped up for the new season. I have total faith him getting the Mets back to where the once where. I will not question his decisions as much as I Did with Randolph and Manual I will respect his decisions since he knows a lot more about running a team than I do. A true test of that is in today’s game where he has Willie Harris in left field bating second. Now I get why he is using Harris and Not Duda today (Duda plays tomorrow and Sunday) Harris has great numbers against the Marlins starting pitcher Josh Johnson but I am very puzzled by the decision to bat him second and moving Pagan down to 5th. That seems very odd; I suppose it has something to do with Bay not in the lineup and I will keep my faith in Collins and see how that turns out. But if that was Manual I would been jumpin up and down screaming what are ya nutz? But Collins may have a method to that madness and tomorrow I hope to be saying Jerry, good decision, you the man.

Collins sent out a great e-mail this morning that reads:

With our 2011 opener tonight in Florida, I want to make this pledge to Mets fans: our team will play the game the right way. We will always hustle on the bases, run balls down in the outfield and never take anything for granted, no matter the score of the game. We had a great Spring Training. From day one my message has been look ahead, not backward, and not to worry about what the people outside the clubhouse are saying. If we pitch and play defense like I know we can, we will surprise a lot of people, a lot of people. … It’s been 12 years since I have started a season as a major league manager. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be leading the New York Mets and am very excited about the season ahead. Thanks for your support and see you at Citi Field. Nice huh??

So LETS GO METS 2011 The dawn of a new season.

Finally I want to send Happy Birthday wishes to my favorite April fool Daniel Murphy who turns 26 today Happy Birthday Murph.

 

[Scrub]

GO PHILLIES​

Sorry Sonny

I just couldn't control myself.

 

[sonny10305]

Hey sweetie great to see ya
All I can say is your pitching staff, which is prolly the best in the league, had better make up for the rest of your damaged and hurtin other players.

look forward to playin with you here and may the best team win

 

[Sausy]

What sonny said,Scrub!Always good to see ya though

Happy birthday to Danieland pumped for the new season,too!Love sonny's enthusiasm and hope this season will put away all the bitter memories of the previous several seasons.Josh Johnson has been doinating tonight,Pelf very underwhelming but one game does not a season make.Let's get it going guys,let's go METS!!!

 

[syam24]

Well, a rough start to the season. I think one of the issues the Mets will face is matching our #1 and 2 starters vs the other teams 1 and 2 guys. Without Santana it will be struggle. However, I like our chances with our 3-5 guys against other teams. We should win more than our share of those games. Now, perhaps, a few more hits earlier in the game to get us rolling. Let's Go Mets!!

 

[sonny10305]

Yup Syam sk so opening day did not go as well as I would have liked, Josh Johnson was totally dominant and Mike Pelfrey was, well….not. Pelf struggled from the start, not able to stay on top of the ball he just did not have his stuff and command. Even thou many of his pitches were down in the zone, they had little downward movement; they pretty much stayed flat. His fastball was straight but had no sink at all and too many of em ran up in the zone like the one Buck blasted for a grand slam. . Lemme tell you even with the loss I still get off watching a great pitching performance and I sure got that from Johnson.

Although Daniel Murphy’s loss if the second base job to Brad Emaus irritated me I have to say Brad deserved a shot at that position during the last couple of games of spring training he showed some excellent defensive skills and continued that last night. I like what I am seeing defensively from Emaus.

Another nice thing to see was Carlos Beltran who got through his first game in right field. played the entire game with no problems,

Kevin Burkhardt came on the air just as Logan Morrison came up to bat and was talking about how Logan who recently lost his dad told Kevin if he gets a home run he will send a salute up to his Dad. Well those words no sooner came out of Kevin’s mouth when Morrison hit a homer, and as he crossed home plate Logan sent a salute up to his dad. Awesome!.
I sent a text to Kevin right after it happened that read Dude.. Talk about your lips to Gods ears.

Tonight it will be Jonathon Niese against Ricky Nolasco

 

[Ninja108]

The bigger issue the Mets are facing this year is the giant elephant in the room,Bernie Madoff.
I just don't see how they're going to be able to hang onto all their key players.
Throw in the fact that unlike the Dodgers, MLB has made it clear they will no longer be helping the Mets and I just don't see how a fire sale is going to be avoided.

 

[gtru1981]

Baseball is back and i am happy for that! The last couple of days the team really has taking a real beating, with Chris Rock on Letterman and the whole opening game April fools joke regarding the SNY thing. The Mets really have become the butt of all jokes and here in CT that is what everyone is talking about! My co workers joke about how the Mets should hire their kids to play for the team. The team looks pretty ok, but the Wilpons really have screwed everything up with any kind of respect this team can have. They need to sell the whole team and just peace out, as they are roally screwing this team up. What person would want to come to Flushing to play if this keeps going??

Hey Sonny, since you talk to the players, how are they feeling? I hope they ignore all this trash talking that REALLY has gone nationally!! This thing really has gone out of control and its worse that i trully thought it would be. I really do feel sorry for the true Mets fans and the players as this will take years to clean up and to show the country this team is good! This really has to take a toll on the players and coaches as well i assume.

Also Sonny, did they fire the person whom did that Family Guy prank???

 

[Sausy]

I'm glad the boys just shrugged off all the crap and after the Opening Day fiasco had two strong wins...bouncing back from closer Francisco Rodriguez' agonizing blown save to win in extra innings Saturday and winning easily on Sunday over the Marlins.Love how David Wright came up huge in that game with the homer and the go ahead RBI.He seems to have really taken to his leadership role and it's so good to see him showing that passion...screw you to the doubters and the bandwagon people because it does seem so easy to put a huge target on the Mets organization as a whole.I hater the whole Madoff thing,the Wilpons have allowed the organization to lose a lot of its luster over the past few years as well by allowing the whole poisonous atmosphere which had infected the club since the September 2007 collapse.But I still believe in the players who seem to fully be into new manager Terry Collin's reenerginizing,passionate spirit and attitude.What that SNY technician did was snarky crap,and I hate snark.Suspend him,do whatever but it was totally unprofessional.But the Mets players,their manager,coaches...they thankfully just seem to want to get it all out in the field,between the lines and have acted very admirably not paying attention and doing their jobs.

 

[sonny10305]

I would like today to start with a couple of the questions that have asked of me here

Beginning with the players and Madoff, I can tell you absolutely that most if not all are not interested in talking about it or think that much about it. Ike Davis said that they are here to play baseball and have a great season. There is nothing any of them can do about that mess and so why stress about it. I have seen first hand it has had no affect what so ever on the players. During my last week in Florida with he Mets in St Lucie my dad and my uncle came down to spend a few says, dad met Collins and when the Madoff subject came up Terry echoed what all the players are saying, don’t think about it much, nothing to do with my job here. My uncle brought the subject up in his talk with Dan Warthen and got pretty much the same response.
So the answer is no, the players are not concerned about it and won’t until if or when it affects them personally like in contract money or the like.

As to the Family Guy thing the idiot that did that is going to learn his fate sometime today, no decision regarding discipline has been made but soon will be. SNY executives were totally pissed saying it was a very poor decision by an employee. Some else told me that it was unintentional and that it was not sure if the employee will be fired. Mets PR man Jay Horwitz said if the engineer that it was not malicious and that he felt terrible about having done it. Jay also said It gets to the point where you’re almost immune to it all.
So basically the engineer meant no disrespect to the team but NO ONE was amused, not SNY not Mets brass and certainly not the players.

Hey saucy nice to see your back on track with the Mets, for a while there ya had me worried you seemed so down on the guys welcome back
It was a great series pitching, outside of Pelf and K-Rod it was outstanding and once again we see that Dickey was no fluke last year and our bottom of the rotation will be just fine thank you very much. I love Emus and how about that Thole who has developed in to a very very good aggressive catcher I absolutely love the way he calls games. I could go on and on there was so much positive in those games this weekend.
But I have to say the most impressive thing of all was Terry Collins and the way he manages, sure I had questions like the move with Harris and pulling Niese after 7 and only 75 pitches but the man knows what he doing no doubt about that. Another thing I like is his use of the bench, all those guys know at some point they are going to go into the game ALL OF THEM. You can see his mark on everything going on like hitting on 3-0 stealing bases and so much more. Although I did think Harris stealing second with Wright at bat against a lefty was pretty lame, it left first open to walk David and it prevented him from crushing one against the lefty which as we all know David is very good at. But maybe that was not a Collins moved maybe Harris did that on his own and if he did I am sure he got an ear full from both Collins and Wright.

So now we go to Philly, the outcome of that series will speak volumes for us.

 

[Scrub]

PHILLY Will Win

 

[sonny10305]

PHILLY Will Win

You are thisclose to getting sent to your room with out any dinner young lady

Mets came back home to NY Sunday night and spent the day off yesterday here This morning they headed down to Philly for today’s game. It has been raining much of the day but Kevin Burkhardt says it is clearing now and the game should be ok. Chris Young on the mound for the Mets

Two of my good buddies from the Brooklyn Cyclones are headed for The Savannah Sand Gnats; The Gnats roster will feature a bunch of the top prospects from the Mets. My boys Cory Vaughn and Darrell Ceciliani, who both set records in Brooklyn, will join an exciting outfield. Vaughn, hit .307 and set Brooklyn franchise records with 14 home runs and 56 RBI in 2010. Ceciliani led the New York-Penn League in batting average (.351) and hits (95) while setting Brooklyn records for batting average, triples (12), runs (56) and hits. I am so excited for those guys who I met in Brooklyn and got to know pretty well. Look for both of them to make it bigs really soon. You may have seen them during spring training games they both played in a couple of games.

Speaking of my Cyclones there will be eight former Cyclones on Opening Day Rosters across the major leagues. Angel Pagan, Bobby Parnell, Daniel Murphy, Ike Davis and Lucas Duda on the Mets. Then there is Scott Kazmir on the Angels, Drew Butera on the Twins, and Matt Lindstrom on the Rockies. As I hear from the rest of the guys I will let you know where they are all going in 2011.

 

[gtru1981]

I am going to need you help with Mets updates until or if stupid Dish Network brings back SNY. God i hate dish Network!!! but have to keep them due to a international channel that no one else offers!

 

[Ninja108]

Does appear the Fab Four has run into a snag with tonight's loss.
The curse of the SI cover has just begun.

 

[Sausy]

Thanks sonny for the update,it's gonna be exciting seeing how Darren and Cory quickly make their way to CitiField hopefully after a couple more seasons moving through the Mets system.But Savannah Sand Gnats?Guys,hurry up to Binghamton!It's gotta be a thrill for you sonny following these guys as you do through all the New York State affiliates but especially the Brooklyn Cyclones seeing our boys grow up!

Had to work tonight but my brother sent me a text update with the score and happy to see David Wright having four hits,including two RBI and runs scored.Chris Young was solid,one run on five hits in five and a third innings and strong relief effort.Sorry Scrub but it was so nice to be giving it to Cole Hamels tonight,and we just have to approach the vaunted Philly starting staff with the thought we have what it takes to beat them as well as they have pitched in the past.....we can compete against ANYONE.I share in Naughty Arousal's pleasure regarding the Mets giving the Phillies pain tonight!

Sorry to hear gtru about Dish Network's hard headness regarding SNY,and they gotta realize with the competitive nature with the cable networks just how much they will be hurting themselves in the long run.Hope they come to their senses soon.

 

[syam24]

Nice win by the Mets last nite, and a nice start to the season! Chris Young piched very well thru 5 innings, then began to falter, perhaps all that base running took some of strength. After all, he did have THREE hits, including two in one inning!! DWright is bangin' the ball and the rest of the lineup helped make quick work of Cole Hamels. All I can say is Encore, Encore!! Let's Go Mets!!

 

[sonny10305]

Chris Young to Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels "your mine bitches".
Mets batters to Cole Hamels "whose the "choke artists” now"
Mets to Phillies “Who’s your daddy"??

Chris Young was awesome not only with his spilt finger but with his bat when he became the first pitcher in franchise history to have two hits in an inning.

David Wright produced his 90th game-winning RBI. That passes Mike Piazza for the franchise record.

Big day in Buffalo Thursday cause it’s the Bisons opening day. Dillon Gee will be the starter game against Syracuse. We have a new manager this year in Tim Teufel. Todays post will be short cause I am headin on up there later this morning to see Nick Evans and the boys. The first workout is this afternoon

Some of the guys on the team this year you may know besides Nick Evans are Manny Alverez, Boof Bonser, Justin Hampton, Tyota Igarashi, Jenrry Mejia, Pat Misch, Taylor Tankersley, Raiul Chavez, Russ Adams, Zack Lutz, Rubin Tejada, Justin Turner, Jesus Feleciano, Fernando Martinez, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Jason Pridie.
Not to shabby huh?

Go get em tonight Pelf

gtru Sure hope Dish gets that SNY deal finished soon good luck with that
Scrub you are quiet today, wassamatter chocking on your own words
love ya hon

 

[Scrub]

Not at all Sonny

Hamels is a bad pitcher. He was good the 1st year, but has gone downhill since. I don't know why the Phillies kept him.

However, we only gave you 1

 

[Sausy]

Not at all Sonny

Hamels is a bad pitcher. He was good the 1st year, but has gone downhill since. I don't know why the Phillies kept him.

However, we only gave you 1

Love ya Scrub,but nope,Cole was great last year,deserved more run support.He did suck the year before but probably got too big a head from all the championship stuff in 2008.Three of the past four years,Cole has been a good-great pitcher.He just got whupped last night...maybe he's reverting to 2009 form,would be great for the Mets!

On a perturbed note,the game is five innings through and the Mets came baclk from a 7-0 deficit,tied it though Boyer is getting hit tonight and now the Phils lead 9-7.Mike Pelfrey has been atrocious....I'm sorry but giving up seven runs in two innings pitched,and beiong very lackluster in the season opener Mike is pitching anything but what the boys need from him.What irritates me even more is that early in spring training Mike said he just had a hard time motivating himself for spring training.HELLO?Spring training is where you get ready mentally for the new season and if you're not motivated by it,then you the hell better be ready once opening day comes...and he wasn't then and looked even worse tonight.Tell me if Johann Santana ever blew off spring training,or look at overachieving RA Dickey,who busted his ass after arm injuries threatened to derail his career and became the story of the year for the Mets last season,pitching with heart,passion,and intelligence as he finally started mastering the knuckleball.Mike is a good guy,and I'm sure he didn't mean to come out as indifferent...I don't expect him tobe perfect but what separates good pitchers from mediocre ones is the ability to find a way to win,or at least stay in the game,when your stuff isn't up to par and Mike has proven to be very mentally undisciplined,no toughness or grit whatsoever.He can do MUCH better than this,and we need him to give a creditable effort jut about every night.Our bullpen will be in shambles if Mets starters can't hold up and go at least six innings...Mike for God's sakes get your head in the game!!!

 

[Ninja108]

I remember Cole Hamels in 2009 form.. Game 3 of the 2009 World Series.