Monday, April 12, 2004
I have spent a good part of today trying to find something definitive about Reyes and when he'll finally play a game this year. There isn't any good reliable information out there. Just the following pattern: The Mets' brass states that it'll be a few days longer. Then there is a report that he is improving. Then there is a report that he suffered a setback, or is not improving as fast as the team would hope. Sprinkle in a few reports about him dabbling with Yoga and other forms of rehabilitation, and you've got Reyes' 2004 season to date.
First it was hoped he'd be reactivated by opening day. Then it was for the Expos in San Juan. Then it was opening day at Shea. Now, who knows?
One thing does seem fairly certain. He will not play a major league game until May. Indeed, he's been out so long now that he will have to play a few games in the minors. What if he gets off to a slow start there? It could easily be Memorial day folks. Hopefully by then, but lets not be overly optimistic.
First it was hoped he'd be reactivated by opening day. Then it was for the Expos in San Juan. Then it was opening day at Shea. Now, who knows?
One thing does seem fairly certain. He will not play a major league game until May. Indeed, he's been out so long now that he will have to play a few games in the minors. What if he gets off to a slow start there? It could easily be Memorial day folks. Hopefully by then, but lets not be overly optimistic.
A few notes....
I have gotten about 12 requests for copies of print issues for TMN....they are in the mail, or at least, soon will be.
We commented that Prentice Redman may get a call up in light of Floyd's injury. He was apparently demoted to AA and began the season there. Nice the see that the Mets' scouts keep signing the same type of OF, one with little BASEBALL talent. Maybe this is a peek into Lasting Milledge's future, of course, if he ever makes it to AAA.
I have gotten about 12 requests for copies of print issues for TMN....they are in the mail, or at least, soon will be.
We commented that Prentice Redman may get a call up in light of Floyd's injury. He was apparently demoted to AA and began the season there. Nice the see that the Mets' scouts keep signing the same type of OF, one with little BASEBALL talent. Maybe this is a peek into Lasting Milledge's future, of course, if he ever makes it to AAA.
OPENING DAY AT SHEA.... Mets beat the Braves 10-6.
I did not watch the game, nor did Iisten to it. That speaks volumes. I was highly insulted by the composition of Howe's lineup. He had Gutierrez hitting 2nd, Spencer 3rd, Zeile cleanup and McSuck 8th in LF. This may have been one of the worst Met lineups in a few years to take the field, other than throwaway September games. This was not a major league team, and I was not going to waste my time with it. Forget the result. We don't deal with post hoc analysis here, like some other blogs. To all those people who do, I have a suggestion. Why not wait until November 1st, 2004 and then you can tell us what you think? The team caught some breaks and got lucky and won. That doesn't matter. What does is the utter lack of talent on the roster and how poorly this team was conceived. On that score, the only two words you need to hear are "Scott Erickson". You would have to have a single digit iq to actually have him as one of your starters. Whcih is exactly what Duquette, Wilpon and Howe seem to have. Collectively.
In other matters, Floyd was put on the 15 day DL and Duncan was recalled. I'd like to see Duncan installed as the everyday LF and have him bat 2nd. Even against left handed pitching. He needs the experience and what better time for it than now. I don't think that's going to happen, however. I see instead Howe going with a nonsensical platoon of Mcewing, Spencer, Garcia and Duncan. It doesn't matter that none of those other 3 matter. They are either hopeless retreads (Spencer and Garcia) or just hopeless (McSuck). Heck, I'd even take a platoon of Duncan and Raul Gonazalez if the team would have enough sense to excise Mcsuck.
But they don't have any sense whatsoever. So, that's why I didn't watch today. If they are not going to show us any respect, they are not going to get any in return.....
I did not watch the game, nor did Iisten to it. That speaks volumes. I was highly insulted by the composition of Howe's lineup. He had Gutierrez hitting 2nd, Spencer 3rd, Zeile cleanup and McSuck 8th in LF. This may have been one of the worst Met lineups in a few years to take the field, other than throwaway September games. This was not a major league team, and I was not going to waste my time with it. Forget the result. We don't deal with post hoc analysis here, like some other blogs. To all those people who do, I have a suggestion. Why not wait until November 1st, 2004 and then you can tell us what you think? The team caught some breaks and got lucky and won. That doesn't matter. What does is the utter lack of talent on the roster and how poorly this team was conceived. On that score, the only two words you need to hear are "Scott Erickson". You would have to have a single digit iq to actually have him as one of your starters. Whcih is exactly what Duquette, Wilpon and Howe seem to have. Collectively.
In other matters, Floyd was put on the 15 day DL and Duncan was recalled. I'd like to see Duncan installed as the everyday LF and have him bat 2nd. Even against left handed pitching. He needs the experience and what better time for it than now. I don't think that's going to happen, however. I see instead Howe going with a nonsensical platoon of Mcewing, Spencer, Garcia and Duncan. It doesn't matter that none of those other 3 matter. They are either hopeless retreads (Spencer and Garcia) or just hopeless (McSuck). Heck, I'd even take a platoon of Duncan and Raul Gonazalez if the team would have enough sense to excise Mcsuck.
But they don't have any sense whatsoever. So, that's why I didn't watch today. If they are not going to show us any respect, they are not going to get any in return.....
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Cliff Floyd has pulled up lame at 1B after beating out an infield single. It looks like he's going to be removed from the game. Indeed, he needed help to get off the field.
Does this surprise anyone? Floyd has a history of being injury prone. Whehter or not you call it snakebit, unlucky or whatever, this is right in line with what should be expected. To think that he would play 150+ games this year was foolish. That's like thinking that Mets' management would suddenly learn how to evaluate talent.
Anyhow, the team will keep "battling".
What do you do now? Play Valent everyday? Are you kidding me? I don't think he should even be up. I'd rather call up Raul Gonzalez or Prentice Redman, though neither one is impressive or has great potential. The gutsy move would be to bring up Victor Diaz.
Does this surprise anyone? Floyd has a history of being injury prone. Whehter or not you call it snakebit, unlucky or whatever, this is right in line with what should be expected. To think that he would play 150+ games this year was foolish. That's like thinking that Mets' management would suddenly learn how to evaluate talent.
Anyhow, the team will keep "battling".
What do you do now? Play Valent everyday? Are you kidding me? I don't think he should even be up. I'd rather call up Raul Gonzalez or Prentice Redman, though neither one is impressive or has great potential. The gutsy move would be to bring up Victor Diaz.
I forget to mention this, but we have been absent for sometime.
Anyway, I got a call from my contact at Obtuse Island Press, about some old print issues of The Metsology Newsletter from some 13 years ago. Obtuse Island Press apparently no longer exists and was taken over in some corporate deal.
I was going to sell them on Ebay, but I am not very proficient when it comes to computers nor to profit motive.
So, I am going to make them avaialbe free of charge on a first come first serve basis to anyone who emails me. You go and market them on Ebay; I don't have the competence to. From a crew of few, I'm all that remains...
Anyway, I got a call from my contact at Obtuse Island Press, about some old print issues of The Metsology Newsletter from some 13 years ago. Obtuse Island Press apparently no longer exists and was taken over in some corporate deal.
I was going to sell them on Ebay, but I am not very proficient when it comes to computers nor to profit motive.
So, I am going to make them avaialbe free of charge on a first come first serve basis to anyone who emails me. You go and market them on Ebay; I don't have the competence to. From a crew of few, I'm all that remains...
Have you been keeping track of some former Mets?
For starters, how about that Marco Scutaro? Dumbo Duquette let him go at the end of last season, and incredibly McSuck is still with the team. The A's, being a smart organization that can properly evaluate talent -most of the time - quickly picked him up and named him their starting 2B this past March. And he's doing farily well:
BA: .313 OBA: .353 SLG: .500 OPS: .853
On the ESPN website, he still appears with a Mets' cap on.
Roger Cedeno has been very consistent, as can be gleaned from the following:
BA: .000 OBA: .000 SLG: .000 OPS: .000
He has struck out once in 5 PA's and has done nothing else.
We'll keep our eye on both during the season....
For starters, how about that Marco Scutaro? Dumbo Duquette let him go at the end of last season, and incredibly McSuck is still with the team. The A's, being a smart organization that can properly evaluate talent -most of the time - quickly picked him up and named him their starting 2B this past March. And he's doing farily well:
BA: .313 OBA: .353 SLG: .500 OPS: .853
On the ESPN website, he still appears with a Mets' cap on.
Roger Cedeno has been very consistent, as can be gleaned from the following:
BA: .000 OBA: .000 SLG: .000 OPS: .000
He has struck out once in 5 PA's and has done nothing else.
We'll keep our eye on both during the season....
QUICK, get to ESPN right now to read Rob Neyer's 850th article on the A's. The boy has a severe fetish that he keeps feeding. Why doesn't he just rename his boring column to "A's Today", or something like that.
Art Howe's stupidity goes a long way towards debunking the genius of Torre. Howe won consistently with the A's when he had the talent. With the Mets, he has been undressed as a complete buffoon. Actually, the same kind of buffoon that Torr was as manager of the Mets. Indeed, I remember reading something Bill James wrote in the Abstract about what a bad manager Torre was. He didn't become smart overnight; he just got better players.
You know, I'd be a much better Monopoly player if every game started with me having $1,000,000 dollars in my bank account, instead of the $500 everyone else has and my having Boardwalk, Park Place, the 3 green properties and the 3 yellow properties all with hotels aplenty. That's what Torre has. Plus, Torre gets $5,000 everytime the Yanks pass GO, instead of the measely $200 everyone else gets.
You know, I'd be a much better Monopoly player if every game started with me having $1,000,000 dollars in my bank account, instead of the $500 everyone else has and my having Boardwalk, Park Place, the 3 green properties and the 3 yellow properties all with hotels aplenty. That's what Torre has. Plus, Torre gets $5,000 everytime the Yanks pass GO, instead of the measely $200 everyone else gets.
Today is Piazza's 1st start at 1B. Although I have not seen a study on it, it seemed like Piazza would do very well AFTER he had a game off, with that game off usually being a day game after a night game. Today, instead of getting this afternoon's game off, he will play 1B. He played a few innings in the 2nd game of the season -which was a blowout- and looked fine there. If Piazza shows he can handle 1B, maybe the best thing to do would be play him at 1B both in the night game and the day game thereafter. This would give him further relief, and hopefully help his bat.
Our prediction regarding Kaz Matsui, which has been posted in other venues...
As usual, the Yankees end up signing Godzilla while the Mets get Pokemon. Its our feeling that Kaz will be the new Roberto Alomar, providing consistent dissapointment and frustration. He will not be as he was advertised to be; and people will be clamoring to run him out of town and move Reyes to his rightful spot. He will not be the player who should have compelled the team to move THE FRANCHISE to 2B. He will hit about .260 with a .320 OBA and a SLG of about .380. He might steal approximately 20 bases and his defense will be, at best, average.
Don't be fooled by his 7 walks in the first 4 games. That is simply him feeling out opposiing pitchers. By the time he's an ex-Met, his 1st game will be his best and most memorable one.
As usual, the Yankees end up signing Godzilla while the Mets get Pokemon. Its our feeling that Kaz will be the new Roberto Alomar, providing consistent dissapointment and frustration. He will not be as he was advertised to be; and people will be clamoring to run him out of town and move Reyes to his rightful spot. He will not be the player who should have compelled the team to move THE FRANCHISE to 2B. He will hit about .260 with a .320 OBA and a SLG of about .380. He might steal approximately 20 bases and his defense will be, at best, average.
Don't be fooled by his 7 walks in the first 4 games. That is simply him feeling out opposiing pitchers. By the time he's an ex-Met, his 1st game will be his best and most memorable one.
We're back. So disgusted and despondent were we, that we did the only natural thing. Give up. With a clueless blind man at the helm, its a sure bet that the closest the team will get to 1st place is opening day. Perhaps the team should have taken our suggestion and moved to the International League, where they would surely be playing "meaningful games" in September. Alas, without any hope, its on with 2004.
The excitement from the results of opening day were rather surprising. Indeed, the same could be said from the performance of the offense throughout the whole opening series with the Braves. All we heard was how the offense was going to be spectacular this year and the pitching staff would surely rebound. And rebound it did, against the lowly Expos who are collectively hitting below .200. But what happened to the offense that was supposed to be so good?
Anyhow, its fairly clear from the first few games that this team is not much different than last year's model, the same one that finished in last place. Thank God for the Expos, as now the Mets have some competition for the cellar. They certainly are not in the same league as the Phils, Barves or Marlins. Yes, even the Phils, with their handicap of a single digit iq manager in the mold of Bud Harrelson, Jeff Torborg and Art Howe.
The excitement from the results of opening day were rather surprising. Indeed, the same could be said from the performance of the offense throughout the whole opening series with the Braves. All we heard was how the offense was going to be spectacular this year and the pitching staff would surely rebound. And rebound it did, against the lowly Expos who are collectively hitting below .200. But what happened to the offense that was supposed to be so good?
Anyhow, its fairly clear from the first few games that this team is not much different than last year's model, the same one that finished in last place. Thank God for the Expos, as now the Mets have some competition for the cellar. They certainly are not in the same league as the Phils, Barves or Marlins. Yes, even the Phils, with their handicap of a single digit iq manager in the mold of Bud Harrelson, Jeff Torborg and Art Howe.
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
If you are like me, then the first thing you do when you wake up every morning is to comb the web for breaking news stories about the Mets. To help, I have 2 websites for you that are a nice place to start.
First, you can read different newspaper stories which are culled from the usual suspects and contain stories exclusively about the Mets.
Second, for trade rumors, you can find about every team or simply click on the Mets link for purely Met rumors. The rumors are usually newspaper articles or websites.
This is why the web was created, so that you no longer have to buy or read several newspapers. You can simply go to one website and cherry pick the stories you want on strictly the subject you want to read about.
First, you can read different newspaper stories which are culled from the usual suspects and contain stories exclusively about the Mets.
Second, for trade rumors, you can find about every team or simply click on the Mets link for purely Met rumors. The rumors are usually newspaper articles or websites.
This is why the web was created, so that you no longer have to buy or read several newspapers. You can simply go to one website and cherry pick the stories you want on strictly the subject you want to read about.
Monday, November 03, 2003
The Mets failed to land Billy Wagner as he was acquired by the Phillies today for Brandon Duckworth and a couple of prospects. This failure portends very poorly for the balance of the post season, as Duquette has stated that one of his main goals is acquiring a closer. Of course, there is no logic behind such statement, as the last thing a last place team needs is a stopper. To waste a valuable portion of your budget on a luxury is plainly idiotic. But that is what we are going to get. A mediocre and overpriced closer who will be wholly unnecessasry. Jose Mesa anyone??
Finally some good news. Perhaps it was best that Lou Pinella did not end up as the Mets' manager after the 2002 season. Indeed, his talent evaluation skills seem to be as wretched as most in the Mets' organization. On second thought, he would have fit right in with the Mets, as has the moribund moron, Art Howe.
Lou Pinella apparently thinks its a good idea for the Devil Rays to acquire Tino Martinez. His fractured reasoning has to do with Tino's leadership skills, as if that is the reason that the Devil Rays keep finishing in last place. Their great need for leadership. Maybe Pinella should look to himself on that score? After all, he is the appointed leader of the team.
When the Mets finally decide to get a real manager, hopefully they won't turn their attention to Lou Pinella.
Lou Pinella apparently thinks its a good idea for the Devil Rays to acquire Tino Martinez. His fractured reasoning has to do with Tino's leadership skills, as if that is the reason that the Devil Rays keep finishing in last place. Their great need for leadership. Maybe Pinella should look to himself on that score? After all, he is the appointed leader of the team.
When the Mets finally decide to get a real manager, hopefully they won't turn their attention to Lou Pinella.
Sunday, November 02, 2003
We're back! Twelve (12) years ago we were an alternative to the Mets' own Pravda, Inspide Pitch. As such, we were free to citcize with unabashed frankness and honesty. Now more than a decade later, things have changed, and for the better. There are a whole host of independent voices who truthfully recite the state of affairs with the team. However, they are not TMN and, alas, they have left a void. So here we are, back again to fill that void. So, add a link because you will be coming back often. We're back, and now we're strictly online and we're free. See you soon.
