amazin' Amazins

Seven in a Row and Counting?

2008-07-12T07:08:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

With the all-star break vastly approaching, the home-field advantage in the World Series has most likely caught the attention of game participants Billy Wagner and David Wright.

A current seven-game winning streak has catapulted the Mets into a second-place tie with the Florida Marlins, only 1.5 games out of first behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The winning streak started with three in a row at Philadelphia, three straight against San Francisco and one against Colorado.

Although the Jose Reyes', David Wrights, and Johan Santanas are mostly responsible for this sudden outburst, there is one player that has come out of nowhere to garner much attention. His name is Fernando Tatis.

Since the beginning of the streak, Tatis has recorded 10 hits in 23 AB's. (.435 BA) He has also exploded for three home runs and seven runs batted in. But is he the main cause for the Mets recent success?

Boomer and Carton in the morning on WFAN New York, recently discussed what Mets players were saying about their new manager Jerry Manuel. One of the positives mentioned was that Manuel is starting to get the guys to play Mets baseball and not Yankees baseball, which former manager Willie Randolph was notorious for.

The Mets will look to end the first-half of the season having won nine in a row. They will try to do that by finishing off the final two games against the Colorado Rockies today and tomorrow. Pedro Martinez is on the mound today looking for his second straight win.

Inconsistency is the Name of the Game

2008-06-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

At 40-41, the Mets have been one of the most inconsistent teams in baseball this season. There are a lot of reasons for this. I would like to analyze the recent subway series against the Yankees to give people an idea of how inconsistent the Mets really are...

GOOD

Carlos Delgado racked up 3 HR's and 10 RBI's in the four-game series.

BAD

He only managed four hits in 15 AB's. (.267) Those four hits also only came in two games.

GOOD

Jose Reyes went 6-for-16 in the series. (.375)

BAD

He didn't drive in any runs, only stole one base, and was picked off.

GOOD

Oliver Perez threw a gem in the finale going seven innings while only giving up one run and striking out eight.

BAD

His ERA dropped to 4.98 on the season.

GOOD

The Mets scored 20 runs in the four-game series. (five runs/game)

BAD

15 of those runs came in the first game and are now batting .211 with two outs and RISP.

Consistency is the key to success. The Mets have yet to figure that out.

Stories to Follow The Subway Series

2008-06-27T13:56:00.001-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

It has been a tough week for me to keep up with this blog, but I want to continue to report on as much as I can. If it becomes too hard for me, I will decide and let everyone know before hand...Thank you for your support and go Mets!

Reyes Steers the Ship

2008-06-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

It has been mentioned before that when Jose Reyes goes, so do the Mets. So, let's actually prove this is true using stats.

In the 36 wins so far this season, Reyes is batting .340, with six HR's, 21 RBI's, and has tallied 21 SB's. His on-base percentage at home is .401 and his slugging percentage is .604.

Now, here are some of his lead-off statistics. As the first batter of the game, Reyes is batting .324. When he leads off an inning, he is batting .354, with 4 HR's and a .608 slugging percentage.

Lets now look at how Reyes performs in the clutch. With two outs and RISP, one of the most telling statistics in baseball, Reyes is batting .318 with 2 HR's and 10 RBI's, in 27 games. In the eighth inning of games, Reyes is batting .367, with 6 RBI's. In the ninth, he is batting a whopping .421.

It is clear that Jose Reyes is the focal point of the Mets' offense. If he continues to be solid like we have seen in the past, the Mets will be a team to reckon with come the latter months of the season.

I Guess It Had to Happen, but Why Now?

2008-06-17T07:20:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Willie Randolph's status as manager was indeed day-to-day. However, after two straight wins, why did Omar Minaya decide to pull the trigger now?

At 34-35, the Mets are far from where they want to be after 69 games. After two straight wins, however, Willie seemed to be safe for another day. That wasn't the case.

At 3:15 this morning, Randolph was given the official word that he was let go, along with pitching coach Rick Peterson and first-base coach Tom Nieto.

Whether it were the on-field pitching decisions that Randolph made, or the off-field racial comments, Minaya decided to step out of the dugout and make an iffy timing call to the bullpen for Jerry Manuel.

Manuel isn't that big of stranger to winning, however. In 2000, he won AL Manager of the year while guiding the Chicago White Sox to the best record in the American League at 95-67.

Although he might be the best man for the job at this juncture, the question will always be asked why now? Why fly Randolph out to the west coast to manage one game? Was it so that Minaya could hide the decision in the throws of the early morning? If so, Minaya might be joining Randolph on the unemployment line earlier than he thinks.

Payroll Disaster

2008-06-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Everyone knows the Mets have an enormous payroll. How big is it? $137.4 million. Listed below are all of the contracted players for this season and how much they are making. Judge for yourself who is worth their money and who isn't...(All salaries are in millions of dollars---only players making guaranteed major league salaries are listed)

Carlos Beltran- $18.6
Johan Santana- $16.98
Carlos Delgado- $16
Pedro Martinez- $11.8
Billy Wagner- $10.5
Moises Alou- $7.5
Orlando Hernandez- $7
Oliver Perez- $6.5
Louis Castillo- $6.25
David Wright- $5.28
Brian Schneider- $4.9
Jose Reyes- $4.375
Scott Schoeneweis- $3.6
Ryan Church -$2
Mike Pelfrey- $.199
Ramon Castro- $1.98
Endy Chavez- $1.8
Matt Wise- $1.2
Aaron Heilman- $1.2
Marlon Anderson- $1.05
Pedro Feliciano- $1.025
Damion Easley- $0.95
Duaner Sanchez- $0.85
Fernando Tatis- $0.56
John Maine- $0.45
Ambiorix Burgos- $0.415
Angel Pagan- $0.4015
Joe Smith- $0.398
Jason Vargas- $0.394

SOURCE: ESPN New York Mets Salaries

1 Loss, 2 Loss, 3 Loss, 4

2008-06-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

It's always tough to lose a game 2-1. You have the satisfaction of knowing that your starting pitcher was solid but your offense was not. Imagine that feeling after three straight 2-1 losses. That is how the Mets feel right now.

Mike Pelfrey, Johan Santana, and Oliver Perez all pitched well enough for their team to win, giving up a combined three ER in 17 IP. (1.59 ERA) The only problem was the Mets' bats decided to take three games off.

The Mets offense tallied 30 hits in 134 AB's, a batting average of only .224. In the final game of the series, the Mets were able to bat .286, but a combination of Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner couldn't hold the Mets lead as they fell 8-6.

The Mets now find themselves 30-32, 7.5 games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. With Ryan Church heading to the DL, look for the blue and orange to use more of Endy Chavez and Fernando Tatis for the time being.

The Amazins' will start a six-game home stand tonight as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. John Maine will start for the Mets.

Perez Faulters While Martinez Shines

2008-06-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

The Mets knew if they wanted to compete this season, they needed both a healthy Pedro Martinez and an effective Oliver Perez. So far, neither has really come to fruition.

When Martinez went down with a shoulder injury on April 1st, the Mets knew their starting rotation was in some trouble. However, with the consistency of Johan Santana and the bullpen, (minus Aaron Heilman) the Mets felt they could get by. Yesterday, when Martinez returned, the Mets immediately started feeling the electricity that only he could add. Oh yeah, he also pitched pretty well too. He went six innings, allowing only three runs while striking out three. He threw 109 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Perez was the wild card factor. If he could show consistency like last season, the Mets rotation wouldn't be aching for Martinez to return. That hasn't been the case this season. Perez is 4-4 with a 5.70 ERA with 50 strikeouts. His most recent bad outing came yesterday as he went a season low 1/3 of an inning giving up six runs and two home runs. While he will stay in the rotation for now, look for the team to try and find added rotation help come the trade deadline.

Mets Starting to Rev Up Their Engines

2008-06-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Having now won five of their last six games and are now only 3.5 games back of the division lead, the Mets are now ready for a road trip that will take them through two less than stellar teams.

After taking two-of-three against the then division-leading Florida Marlins, the players started banning together and collectively showed their talent. Jose Reyes has now hit in 17 consecutive games and has reached base in 32 consecutive. Whether the rumors of him not getting along with Willie Randolph or true, he is showing the team and fans that he is trying very hard to do all he can.

Carlos Beltran looks like he has finally woken up offensively, having homered in two straight, raising his home run total to six.

Ryan Church started his first game after suffering his second concussion of the season two weeks ago and blasted his 10th home run of the season. This is the earliest in a season Church has reached 10 home runs.

Fernando Tatis has also been one of the key factors in the Mets' new found success. Tatis drove in yet another game-winning run against the Dodgers on Sunday in a 3-2 win. It was the second time he had done so in four games.

Johan Santana pitched very effectively, allowing only one run through 7 2/3 innings. This is the first time since May 4th that Santana has allowed only one run.

The Mets now head west to play the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres. The two teams have a combined record of 47-58. Oliver Perez will start tonight for the Mets while Pedro Martinez will make his second start of the season tomorrow, having not made a start since April 1st. Look for Martinez to go no longer than five innings.

Baby Steps

2008-05-29T15:25:00.001-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

At this point, all the Mets need to do is keep winning games to build momentum. Willie is clearly shaking up the lineup to see what mix of players he likes at different times. If Reyes continues on his torrid hitting pace as of late, the Mets will most likely continue to be successful offensively.

If any baseball analyst or fan said to anyone that the Florida Marlins would be in first place after 45 games, that one person deserves a nice prize. Regardless of how people predicted the Marlins to end up, the Mets needed to prove themselves in this series. They did so with help from Jose Reyes, Endy Chavez, and Fernando Tatis. Chavez's game-tying home run in the ninth last night was his first of the year. We all knew that Chavez could field but to hit a bomb in that spot was extremely clutch. Tatis, on the other hand, has been hot since being called up to the team. He is now batting .368 with a HR and six RBI's in eight games.

The Mets will start a four game series starting tonight against the L.A. Dodgers. The Mets dropped two-of-three the last time they faced the Dodgers, in L.A. Claudio Vargas will throw tonight for the Mets and try to prolong this temporary sense of accomplishment for a team that has underachieved thus far.

Mets Coming Back Home After a Rude Awakening

2008-05-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

After the Mets were swept by the Atlanta Braves, they dropped to fourth place in the NL East with speculation that Willie Randolph could be fired. Now, after loosing two-of-three to the injury-plagued Colorado Rockies, the Mets now find themselves in a slump that's going to take a lot to "swing" out of.

After the first 48 games of the season, the Mets find themselves 5.5 games out of first place. But, who's fault is this really? Much has been blamed on Randolph and the pitching staff when, in fact, it's the offense that's been lackluster all season. The Mets are currently 22nd in the entire league in batting average at .253, 16th in the league with 228 runs scored, 21st with 41 HR's, 18th with 214 RBI's, and 16th with a .329 OBP. Simply put, this team needs to hit to have any chance to be competitive.

The fans and the media want to blame the pitching staff because the Mets, by adding Johan Santana in the off season, put a lot more emphasis on starting pitching because of the debacle at the end of last year with less than stellar pitching performances coming from Tom Glavine, John Maine, and Oliver Perez. However, it always seems to get swept under the rug how the Mets simply could not hit down the stretch last season.

Until Carlos Delgado boosts his batting average higher than Johan Santana's, David Wright becomes the Wright of old, Jose Reyes stops getting picked off two times per game, and Ryan Church stops colliding with other players, this team will continue to struggle. The question is: will Omar Minaya wait that long to seriously do something about it?

Swept Into the Cellar

2008-05-23T11:43:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

With a four-game sweep coming at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, the Mets must feel like that pile of dust that someone desperately wants to get rid of.

After a triumphant two-game sweep over the Yankees, the Mets seemed to have their swagger back. That couldn't be further from the truth as the Mets were outscored 27-9 in the Braves series. The only good thing that might have come out of this series was the fact that Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran both hit safely in every game.

The same positive notions can't be said about the pitching. John Maine, Claudio Vargas, Mike Pelfrey, and Johan Santana gave up a combined 17 ER in 20 IP. (7.65 ERA) Starting pitching has been one of the Achilles heels for a team that now finds itself in fourth place in the NL East.

With Moises Alou now on the 15-day DL and all of the recent clubhouse issues that have arose, the depleted Mets head west to face the Colorado Rockies for a three game series starting tonight. Oliver Perez will go for the Mets.

Mets vs. Braves Notes

2008-05-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

(by Doug Kahn)

Winless in this last five starts, Mike Pelfrey has a "brave" task ahead. In the past two games, the Mets' starters have been unable to compete with their opposing Atlanta starters, losing both games decidedly. Pelfrey has the daunting task of breaking this slump against the division rival Braves.

During his last start, Pelfrey showed his capabilities against the Nationals, allowing only one run into the eighth inning.

In his last five starts, the Mets have only been able to fork up a maximum of four runs, with a combined total of five in his last three starts. Pelfrey's last outing against the Braves was a loss having lasted only 5 1/3 innings, while giving up nine hits hits and five runs.

In other team news, Ryan Church, arguably the pioneer in Mets hitting as of now, was knocked out cold after an accidental collision occurred when sliding into Braves' second basemen Yunel Escobar.

Church leads the team in average, home runs and falls just two short to David Wright in RBIs.

After the accident, Church was taken to Piedmont Hospital for further observation.

Mets vs. Yankees Recap

2008-05-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Not many people in baseball think of rain as a positive force. Rain usually means a double-header somewhere down the line for both teams. However, the rain provided a much needed day off for a Mets team that desperately needed to work out some issues.

Willie Randolph called a team meeting on Friday to discuss the morale of the team. After Billy Wagner's statements to the media earlier that week, it was clear that the team needed to get certain things off their chests. Well, it seemed work.

The Mets pounded the Yankees by a combined score of 18-6 in the two-game series. Both Johan Santana and Oliver Perez pitched very effectively and were awarded with wins.

A player that needed to step up in this series did so in the biggest way. Jose Reyes homered in both games to fire up a team that desperately needed it. After being criticized for being too flamboyant in celebration, Reyes calmed his antics for a while only to be criticized by Mets fans as being stoned-faced and too quiet. There is no doubt that Mets fans are fickle to say the least, but it's clear that when Reyes goes, so do the Mets.

The Mets also got added offensive sparks from Ryan Church, David Wright, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran as each of them provided clutch hits when the opportunities arose.

The Mets will go into a critical series starting today against the Atlanta Braves. John Maine will go in the early game of the double-header, while Claudio Vargas will go in the night cap.

Mets @ Yankees Preview

2008-05-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

With the way the Mets have been playing lately, it's no wonder that Billy Wagner flipped at the media after last night's 1-0 loss to the Washington Nationals. However, if Johan Santana went over to Wagner and said "Relax kid. I'm pitching tomorrow," maybe Wagner wouldn't have gotten so mad.

Santana has been the go to guy for the Mets pitching staff this season. He is 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA tallying 52 strikeouts. He also beat the Yankees in his only start against them last season, going seven strong innings and allowing only two runs.

There's no question that both teams desperately need this series. The Mets (20-19) are coming off of series in which they lost two of three to the last place Washington Nationals. The Yankees (20-22) are also coming off a series in which they loss two of three. Except they loss to the first place Tampa Bay Rays. (No people, it's not a typo)

Which team will rise to occasion and which team will fall further into their division's standings? Here are some notes regarding the series.

PITCHING MATCH UPS
5/16- Johan Santana (4-2, 3.10 ERA) vs. Darrell Rasner (2-0, 3.00 ERA)
5/17- Oliver Perez (3-3, 4.61 ERA) vs. Andy Pettitte (3-4, 4.40 ERA)
5/18- John Maine (5-2, 2.81 ERA) vs. Chien-Ming Wang (6-1, 2.90 ERA)

-Both teams met in 2000 World Series

-Mets are 25-35 all-time vs. Yankees, 3-3 in 2007

-Mets are 10-20 all-time at Yankee Stadium

-Moises Alou will be playing his first games ever at Yankee Stadium

Roster Moves

2008-05-14T15:20:00.001-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

The Mets made some drastic changes this week due to the fact that reliever Matt Wise was ready to return from the DL. Here are the most recent changes.

Nelson Figueroa- designated for assignment
Jorge Sosa- designated for assignment
Matt Wise- added to roster
Claudio Vargas- added to roster and will start 5/14 vs. Nationals
Angel Pagan- 15-day DL
Fernando Tatis- added to roster

Figueroa Lashes Out at Nats

2008-05-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Figueroa had a right to be angry after a less than stellar performance last night in a 10-4 loss against the last place Washington Nationals. However, the worst of his performance might have come after the game during the post game interview when Figueroa took offense to Washington's post-game celebration.

"They were cheering in the dugout like a bunch of softball girls," he said. "I am a professional, I take great offense to that. ... They won tonight, but in the long run, look who they are, a last-place team. ... They should show a little more class and act a little more professional." And then the kicker: "That's why they are who they are." (NEWYORKMETS.COM)

Catcher Brian Schneider also took slight offense. "It sounded like the College World Series," the former Nationals catcher said. "I guess they're trying anything now." (NEWYORKMETS.COM)

John Maine goes tonight in the second game of the three-game series. If Maine can duplicate his last performance, I'm sure the Mets won't have to worry about the Nationals celebrating.

Notable Notes

2008-05-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

As I was uncorking a bottle of wine that I bought, I instantly had a thought. Was this the reason the Mets were hitting so well lately? It worked for Sammy. Ok so maybe the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff isn't stellar, but the Mets haven't been hitting anyone all season so pardon me for being a little suspicious. Regardless, the Mets took two of three in two days against the Reds, and they did so with the bats.

-Carlos Beltran may have found his stroke having batted .455 (5/11) with 8 RBI's in the series. His batting averaged raised from .218 to .240.

-I mentioned a little while ago about the direct correlation between the top of the order and the offense. Today, Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo went 5-for-8 at the top of the order as the Mets piled on eight runs.

-Brian Schneider's home run yesterday was his first extra-base hit of the season. (21 1B and 1 HR)

-Carlos Delgado also batted .455 (5/11) in the series raising his batting average from .216 to .236.

-Scott Schoeneweis pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief today lowering his stellar ERA to 1.50

Will Heilman Start?

2008-05-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

On WFAN this morning, Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts discussed the idea of Aaron Heilman joining the starting rotation.

Since reliever Matt Wise is on his way back to the bullpen, there needs to be an open roster spot for him. If the Mets send Heilman to the minors for a little while to work on his pitches so he can start, Wise can return to the Mets bullpen in place of Heilman.

Since the Mets don't know how effective Pedro Martinez will ever be again or when Orlando Hernandez will return, having Heilman as an ace up the sleeve might help solidify the starting rotation.

Notable Notes

2008-05-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Last night, the Mets rebounded from a disastrous first game against the LA Dodgers with help from starter John Maine. Maine went 8.1 innings, giving up one earned run while striking out four. Maine showed complete control against a very young and dangerous Dodgers' lineup. The final score of the game was 12-1.

-Ryan Church went 3-for-5 raising his batting average to .328. He also added a home run, his sixth of the season.

-Marlon Anderson and Raul Casanova each had two hits replacing Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider respectively. Casanova drove in two runs while Anderson drove in one.

-John Maine also drove in two runs at the plate.

-Mets scored six runs in the sixth inning.

The Offensive Struggle Continues

2008-05-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Last night's 5-1 loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers furthered proved that this team needs another bat in the lineup.

The Mets only managed five hits and one run against starter Chad Billingley and the Dodgers' bullpen. Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Luis Castillo all went hitless as their batting averages are now much lower than expected. Reyes is now at .263 while Wright is right there at .274. Castillo can almost smell the Mendoza line now batting at .231.

With Moises Alou back in the lineup and Ryan Church becoming a fixture in the two-hole, it was thought that the lineup would be pretty solid, at least one through five. It hasn't been.

On top of the offensive struggles, starter Oliver Perez had his second shaky outing in a row as he went six innings while allowing five runs (three home runs) and six hits. Perez is now 2-3 on the year with a season-high 4.63 ERA. After having not giving up any runs in his first two outings, Perez has allowed 12 in his last two.

Nelson Figueroa will go tonight in the second game of this three-game series. Figueroa has been somewhat consistent so far this season but still doesn't have all that much major league experience. If the team can get the bats together, it will put a lot less strain on an already tired pitching staff.

Notable Notes

2008-05-03T12:26:00.001-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Last night, the Mets opened up a road series against the very hot Arizona Diamondbacks. Behind David Wright, Jose Reyes and John Maine, the Mets were able to pull out a 7-2 win.

-Wright went 3-for-5 and only missed the cycle by a triple. It was the second time that he just missed the cycle this season.

-Reyes went 4-for-5 and raised his batting average from .250 to .275.

-Moises Alou made his much anticipated return and went 0-for-3.

-Carlos Delgado went 2-for-4 and raised his batting average from .198 to .210.

-Maine won his third game of the season going six innings, allowing two runs and striking out six.

Offense Possibly Starting to Look Up

2008-04-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

The Mets' offense might look a lot better come this weekend as Moises Alou and Brian Schneider are expected to return to the Mets' lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After Alou's off-season hernia surgery and Scheider's staff infection in his thumb, both are expected to at least get a few AB's this weekend.

corrected the club Tuesday when he returned to the Alou almost faced another setback as it was originally thought that his left-ankle, the one he hurt in 1993, was the one that was causing him problems. Alou corrected the club when he returned to the Mets' clubhouse by saying that it was the right that was causing some discomfort.

With both seeing some action this weekend, the Mets will be able to finally see how potent this offense can potentially be.

Here's how the lineup could look when both are healthy enough to start.

1. SS Jose Reyes
2. 2B Luis Castillo
3. 3B David Wright
4. CF Carlos Beltran
5. RF Ryan Church
6. LF Moises Alou
7. 1B Carlos Delgado
8. C Brian Schneider
9. P

Notable Notes

2008-04-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

This is an easier way to get the information out that I believe to be important...

-After yesterday's rain out, Johan Santana pitched 5.2 innings tonight against the Pirates, giving up two runs while striking out seven in the no-decision.

-Jose Reyes went 3-for-3 with an RBI raising his batting average from .237 to .260.

-Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner both gave up their first runs of the year, while Wagner gave up his first hit as well.

-Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado continue to struggle as both went hitless in tonight's game. Beltran's average dropped to .216, while Delgado's dropped to .194.

Mets Essential- The Willie Era

2008-04-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

The Mets are clearly smack in the middle of the Willie Randolph Era. Randolph has proven his status as an effective manager, leading the Mets to the 2006 NLCS, one game away from the World Series. Despite the collapse in 2007, Randolph is considered one of the nicest and smartest managers in the game. But how does he rank among the greatest Mets' managers of all-time?

In Matthew Silverman's Book "Mets Essential", he lists the top 10 Mets managers of all-time.

10. Bud Harrelson- 145-129 record in 1990 and '91 with the club.
9. Joe Frazier- 101-106 record from 1976 and 45 games in '77 with the club.
8. Joe Torre- 286-420 record from rest of 1977-'81 with the club. Only player/manager in club history.
7. Dallas Green- 229-283 record from 1993-'96 with club.
6. Casey Stengel- 175-404 record from 1962-half of '65. Worst winning percentage of any Mets manager. (.302)
5. Willie Randolph- 280-229 record from 2005-present with the club. Led team to N.L. East title and NLCS in 2006.
4. Yogi Berra- 292-296 record from 1972-'75 with the club. Took Mets to World Series in '73.
3. Bobby Valentine- 536-467 from end of 1996-2002. Took Mets to NLDS in '99 and '00 and to the World Series in '00.
2. Davey Johnson- 595-417 record (most wins of any Mets manager) from 1984-45 games into '90. Won World Series in '86 and took them to the NLCS in '88.
1. Gil Hodges- 339-309 record from 1968-'71 with the club. Won World Series in '69 with a 100-62 record.

Top of the Order is Key

2008-04-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Willie Randolph discussed with Mike and the Mad Dog today a little bit about how important the top of the lineup really is. Randolph mentioned the obvious catalyst that is Jose Reyes, but also how valuable Luis Castillo is in the two-hole.

With these two at the top and simply getting on base, the Mets will be able to jump out to an early lead.

In the Cubs series, anyone could see the correlation between scoring runs and the top two hitters getting on base.

Let's run a few numbers on the two so far this season...

Reyes is only hitting .250 as the first batter in the game, with an on-base percentage of only .294. Not to mention he is only hitting .176 in the first three innings of the game.

Castillo has also struggled this season, batting only .216 in the two spot.

These two are looked at as a combination, and if the Mets are to get that early lead, they need to find a way to click.

Pitcher Ponage

2008-04-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Tonight, the Mets face the Chicago Cubs and their ace Carlos Zambrano. Last season, Zambrano went 18-13 with a 3.95 ERA while striking out 177 in 216+ innings. It was the fifth straight year he has surpassed 200 innings. He has also finished fifth in the Cy Young race each of the last two seasons. However, there is a Mets' player that seems to fare very well against the fire-throwing righty.

Luis Castillo...

In 10 career AB's against Zambrano, Castillo has managed five hits (.500) and one RBI, while forcing six walks.

After batting in the eight spot in the Mets' lineup for the past few games, Willie Randolph decided to move Castillo back to the number two hole last night to add that base-stealing tandem with Reyes at the top of the order. Also, it's clear that Castillo hits better in the two hole (.301 career) then the eight (.224 career). Willie also knows that keeping the two of them at the top of the lineup will only add to David Wright's ability to keep driving in runs early and often.

What Collapse?

2008-04-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

If you are a Mets fan right now, last year's collapse is starting to look like more of a fluke every day. We all know these games don't count as much as games in September, but it's nice to know that the Mets are trying to make a statement early.

It's a proven fact that when Jose Reyes hits, the Mets hit and last night, he did. Reyes went 2-for-4 with a HR, his second of the season. David Wright continued his hot streak also going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI's. He is now batting .344 on the season with a Major League-leading 19 RBI's.

Starter Oliver Perez did his part keeping the Phils scoreless through 5 2/3 innings while striking out seven. He is now 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA this season.

Tonight, the Mets go for the sweep with Mike Pelfrey on the hill opposing Adam Eaton. Even though Eaton usually dominates the Mets, Pelfrey has been spectacular this season with a 2-0 record and a 1.50 ERA.

Confidence Is Soaring

2008-04-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

After a three game sweep against the Washington Nationals in which Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran came alive, the Mets earned a nice chest-out walk into Citizens Bank Park for another chapter in this brewing rivalry.

They walked out of tonight's game the same way...

Santana vs. Hamels. It was a pitching match-up for the ages and it lived up to its billing. Both pitchers were very good, but Santana won the night and the game with his 10 strikeouts and no walks in 7+ innings.

David Wright also helped the Mets get off to a good start going 4-for-4 and only missing the cycle by a home run.

Without their MVP Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies offense lacked that extra bat and a presence on the bases causing them to fall just short of victory.

It was a nail biter as always as the Mets nearly squandered a four run lead in the eighth, but Billy Wagner was able to close it out in the ninth preserving the 6-4 win and, more importantly, the momentum in this fierce division rivalry.

What Does it Take?

2008-04-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Although the Mets are off to a rocky start, let us go back to 1999 for a minute. With players like Mike Piazza, John Franco, Al Leiter, Robin Ventura, Edgardo Alfonzo and John Olerud, the Mets were led by a group of veterans who knew how to handle pressure. They led by example and motivated guys like Todd Pratt, Benny Agbayani, Timo Perez, Matt Franco, Rey Ordonez and enabled them to prosper in a time when Met fans had little hope.

In 2008, It is time for the new group of veterans to step up like: Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Moises Alou, Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez. Those guys can motivate the new guys like; Jose Reyes, David Wright, Angel Pagan, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, and Ramon Castro.

For all of them, it is the perfect time for Met fans to rise up once again and firmly remember the last season in the ballpark that most of them grew up in.

Pedro Who??

2008-04-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

When Pedro Martinez went down earlier this month, the pitching staff looked shakier then ever. Then, a shining star made his debut for a team that he grew up rooting for. Now, a pitcher that not many fans had faith is now 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA to start the season.

The Mets needed a jump start and Mike Pelfrey delivered it. After giving up only two earned runs in his first start, Pelfrey through seven innings without giving up a run last night in a 6-0 win over the Washington Nationals.

David Wright, who had a stellar night with a home run and five RBI's, said that he always had faith in Pelfrey. "I think everyone in here knows Pelfrey has that in him," said Wright. (NY DAILY NEWS)

Pelfrey's confidence definitely showed last night. "I pitched with conviction. Just get it to the glove. No more nibbling. Here it is," Pelfrey said. (NEWYORKMETS.COM)

Pelfrey will pitch next in the highly anticipated series against the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend.

OTHER GAME NOTES
-It was Jackie Robinson night and every Mets' player wore number 42.
-Jose Reyes went 4-for-5 and missed the cycle by a HR.
-Duaner Sanchez made his awaited return and pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

Pitcher Ponage

2008-04-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Another series, another edition of the world renoun Pitcher Ponage. The Mets are going into their first series against the Washington Nationals and will be facing Odalis Perez in game one. Perez is 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts so far this season. His best season as a pro came in 2002 with the Dodgers when he went 15-10 with 3.00 ERA and 155 strikeouts. Injuries have worn Perez down as he hasn't had a full season since 2004.

The Met who fairs the best against Perez is...

Louis Castillo.

In 22 career AB's against Perez, He has nine hits. (.409) He also has a home run and two RBI's to go along with that stellar batting average. He has yet to really find his stroke this season but he did look better going 2-for-4 yesterday against the Brewers.

Who is Nelson Figueroa?

2008-04-12T17:16:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Nelson Figueroa got to live out his life-long dream last night as he made his first start for a team that not only drafted him, but that he's followed his whole life.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Figueroa graduated Abraham Lincoln High School in 1992. In 1995, the Mets drafted Figueroa in the 30th round of the amateur draft. He then attended Brandeis University and graduated with a degree in American Studies in 1998, while posting a 2.35 ERA during his senior season.

Then, when tragedy struck New York on that fateful day in 2001, Figueroa sold t-shirts to help raise money for the victim's families. He was also named to the International League All-Star team that year as a member of the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Red Barons.

His first major league start didn't come until the age of 26 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has been in and out of the minors since. However, maybe now things will start to move at a faster pace for a guy used to city life. With his family close by, Figueroa will be sure to add that extra sense of pride and enthusiasm every time he steps out onto that mound in the middle of his hometown.

Angel in the Outfield

2008-04-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

It was another chapter in the Mets Phillies saga and there was no shortage of a dramatic ending. Angel Pagan's single in the 12th inning drove in Jose Reyes for the 4-3 Mets win and the series.

Pagan had another sensational night going 3-for-5 with two runs and that game winning RBI. Ryan Church also had another nice game for the club going 2-for-5 with two runs batted in.

P John Maine looked comfortable but not entirely convincing. He went 6+ innings giving up one earned run but walked five. P Aaron Heilman continued to struggle as he gave up two runs included the tying one in the eighth. Billy Wagner and Scott Schoeneweiss pitched one scoreless inning in the win, while Joe Smith added 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

The Mets will open up a three game set against the Milwaukee Brewers tomorrow as Nelson Figueroa will make his first start of the season.

Mets Capitalize on Phillies' Defense

2008-04-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

The losing streak is over and the Mets can only hope that the Philadelphia monkey is off of their backs for good.

The 8-2 win over the division rival was ugly, but it was still a much needed win. Damion Easley's first hit of the season culminated in a very strange five run inning for the Mets. The runs, for the most part, came as a result of two errors by replacement SS Eric Bruntlett and another one by C Carlos Ruiz. P Kyle Kendrick was yanked after 2 1/3 having only allowed one earned run. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that he walked six batters and allowed six unearned runs. Strange indeed.

Mets P Mike Pelfrey's night was anything but strange. In fact, it was somewhat pleasant. In five inning of work, Pelfrey allowed only two runs while striking out three.

Offensively for the club, Angel Pagan led the way with two RBI's. He now leads the team with eight.

In the rubber match tomorrow, the Mets will send out John Maine while the Phillies will throw Adam Eaton.

Nine Straight By the Phils in Last Opener at Shea

2008-04-08T16:15:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Was it because of the bullpen? Was it because of Carlos Delgado's costly throwing error? Was it because of Willy Randolph's decision to pull P Oliver Perez after only giving up three singles in 5 2/3 innings? Whatever it was, the Mets continued to struggle against a Philadelphia Phillies ball club that has beaten them nine times in a row, this time by a score of 5-2.

After a Carlos Delgado home run (now has 8 HR's against Moyer) and bases loaded ground out by Ryan Church, the Mets had a 2-0 lead with Oliver Perez cruising. However it appears as if Willy Randolph had a premonition and decided to take Perez out during a somewhat shaky sixth inning.

It was all downhill from there...

A costly Delgado throwing error allowed the tying run to score in the seventh. P Scott Schoeneweis surrendered two singles and hit Chase Utley. Jorge Sosa relieved Schoeneweiss only to allow a two-strike two-out single by Jason Werth that scored Utley.

The fact the Mets know they need to play better is a gross understatement. How many more Phillies losses, or any for that matter, will it take until this team gets back on track?

Pitcher Ponage

2008-04-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Yet another series and another glorious version of pitcher ponage. Tomorrow, the Mets will face the Philadelphia Phillies in their home opener, the final one at Shea Stadium. They will be facing veteran Jamie Moyer.

There is one Mets player who has not only faced Moyer more times because of his previous American League experience, but who has also had the most success against the left-hander....

Carlos Delgado.

In 65 at-bats against Moyer, Delgado has 28 hits, (.431) including 7 HR's and 16 RBI's. This is somewhat surprising since Delgado is only batting .262 in his career against lefties.

Delgado is off to a quick start this season batting .350 in his first five games.

Delgado probably thrives off of the fact that Moyer is not a hard-throwing pitcher and tends to use his location to be effective. When that doesn't pan out, he is very vulnerable. We'll have to wait and see if Delgado's success can continue against Moyer this season.

Interview with Adam Rubin- NY Daily News Mets Blog Writer

2008-04-07T07:13:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

I recently got a chance to chat with Mets Daily News blog writer Adam Rubin about various topics. Rubin's blog is entitled "Surfing the Mets" and has been a fixture in the NY Daily News since 2006.

Q: Have you always been a Mets fan and if so, how has that affected your writing?
A: I was born in the Bronx, but moved to Long Island in the third grade. I drifted more from a Yankees fan to a Mets fan over the years, but in high school I was pleased when either team was doing well. My favorite player was Don Mattingly. (Sorry, Willie. I did have a glove with your name.) As a journalist, you have to stay impartial, though it's certainly more pleasant when the team is doing well as compared with the lean years under Art Howe. You do tend to privately root for players who have treated you well. But they tend to get dispersed all over the place because of trades and free agency. Just this winter Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey, with whom I had good relationships, were traded to the Twins. You can be impartial and still hope they have solid careers.

Q: I know that you attended the Wharton School of Business at Penn. What effect did that have on you becoming a blog writer?
A: I can't say Penn had any impact on the blog, but it certainly is the chief reason I'm a journalist. I attended the Wharton School of Business, but got hooked by newspapers when I joined my college paper, The Daily Pennsylvanian, as a freshman. When I started getting internships in the field, that's when that career path really started taking shape. I graduated high school in '91, which was really a couple of years prior to e-mail being introduced to college students, so you can imagine blogging wasn't a big part of my college experience.

Q: Being able to cover the team all the time must allow you to see things that most people can't. Being that as it may, what do you think of the team so far this season?
A: It's still early, but at 2-3, the warts are showing. They have the oldest 40-man roster in baseball, so it's no wonder they're already dealing with injuries (Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, Orlando Hernandez, etc.) I'm comfortable labeling them the NL East favorite, but they're by no means a lock for the postseason.

For more information on Rubin's blog, visit the NY Daily News site at...

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/

Mets vs. Braves- Recap

2008-04-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

The good news: Johan Santana gave the Mets another quality start giving up only one run through seven innings. The bad news: He was credited with a loss because the Mets offense only mustered one run in a 3-1 loss courtesy of a Ryan Church double in the ninth inning.

Atlanta's John Smoltz was sensational, allowing no runs through five innings and striking out six. He left after the fifth and the Braves never looked back.

Are people attributing this to some sort of fall-out from last season? It's possible, and the players in the clubhouse know they are better than 2-3. Those players include 3B David Wright and C Brian Schneider, both of whom have made their thoughts clear on newyorkmets.com today.

The Mets now have a day off before entering their very anticipated match up with the Philadelphia Phillies. Oliver Perez will look to duplicate his first start of the season in which he allowed no runs over six innings, while striking out eight.

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

Top 9th- NEW PITCHER RAFAEL SORIANO. Wright walked. Beltran struck out looking. Delgado flied out to RF. CHURCH DOUBLED TO RF AND WRIGHT SCORED. Pagan walked. Schneider grounded out to diving 1B Teixteira to end game.

1 run 1 hit 1 LOB

BRAVES WIN 3-1
W- Smoltz
L- Santana
S- Soriano

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

Top 8th- NEW PITCHER PETER MOYLAN. Scheider singles to RF. MARLON ANDERSON PINCH HIT FOR P SANTANA. Schneider out at 2B on FC by Anderson. Reyes flied out on first pitch to LF. Anderson stole 2B. Castillo grounded out to 1B.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Bottom 8th- NEW PITCHER AARON HEILMAN. Johnson flied out to RF. Escobar struck out swinging. Jones walked on four pitches. TEIXTEIRA HOMERED TO RF. (JONES SCORED) Francoeur grounded out to 3B.

2 runs 2 hits 0 LOB BRAVES LEAD 3-0

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

Top 7th- NEW P OHMAN. Beltran flied out to deep LF. Delgado singled to RF. Delgado advanced to 2B on Church ground out to SS. Pagan flied out to CF.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Bottom 7th- Diaz grounded out to 3B. McCann doubled to rCF. Kotsay flied out CF. BRAYAN PENA PINCH HIT FOR OHMAN. Pena grounded out to diving 3B Wright.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB.

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

Top 6th- Reyes grounded out to 2B. NEW P BOYER struck out Castillo looking. Wright struck out looking.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Bottom 6th- Jones struck out swinging. Teixteira flied out to deep lCF. Francoeur flied out to RF.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Top 5th- Pagan struck out swinging on a breaking ball. Scheider grounded out on first pitch to P Smoltz. Santana flied out deep to RF.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Bottom 5th- Kotsay grounded out to SS Reyes. Gotay pinch hit for P Smoltz. Gotay struck out looking. Johnson singled to RF. Johnson out at 2nd on FC by Escobar.

0 runs 1 hit 0 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Top 4th- Beltran struck out swinging on a high fastball. Delgado singled to rCF. Church flied out to CF and Delgado was doubled up at 1B.

0 runs 1 hit 0 LOB

Bottom 4th- Teixteira grounded out to SS Reyes. Francoeur doubles on a dropped pop-up by Reyes in LF. Diaz singled off P Santana's foot. McCann grounds into 4-6-3 double play.

0 runs 2 hits 0 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

Top 3rd- Johan Santana doubled to center that was almost caught by a sliding Mark Kotsay. Jose Reyes grounded out to SS sacrificing Santana to 3rd. Louis Castillo flied out to CF holding Santana at 3B. David Wright struck out swinging.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Bottom 3rd- Mark Kotsay ripped a double into right field. John Smoltz bunted to pitcher sacrificing Kotsay to 3B. Johnson grounds out to a diving Johan Santana, keeping Kotsay at 3B. ESCOBAR DOUBLES TO LF SCORING KOTSAY. Jones grounds out to 2B Castillo.

1 run 2 hits 1 LOB BRAVES LEAD 1-0

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

Top 2nd- Ryan Church struck out on a low breaking ball. Angel Pagan grounded out to SS Brian Schneider grounded out to 2B.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Bottom 2nd- Mark Teixteira flied out in foul ground to 1B Carlos Delgado. Jeff Francoeur flied out deep to LF Angel Pagan. Matt Diaz took the first pitch and singled up the middle. Francoeur stole second base on a wide throw by C Brian Schneider. Brian McCann flied out to RF Ryan Church.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

2008-04-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Top 1st - David Wright and Carlos Beltran walked then Carlos Delgado got caught looking at a third strike from Smoltz.

0 runs 0 hits 2 LOB

Bottom 1st- Santana struck out Kelly Johnson on a fastball inside. Yunel Escobar grounded out to 2B Louis Castillo. Chipper Jones grounded out to SS Jose Reyes.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Maine Not On His Game

2008-04-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Maybe the extra day off gave John Maine too much time to think about things. Whatever it was, Maine didn't look sharp even though the FOX radar gun clocked him throwing 97 mph at one point.

His fastball didn't move as well as it should've and he didn't throw his breaking ball enough. On top of that, the bullpen made things worse. A combined six runs were given up in four innings by Joe Smith, Jorge Sosa, and Nelson Figueroa.

Was it the wet ball or field? Who knows?

On the offensive side for the Mets, Angel Pagan drove in two runs and is now batting .385 to start the season.

Johan Santana will look to the get the Mets back on track tomorrow in the finale.

Rain Rain Good For Maine

2008-04-05T11:19:00.001-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Friday night's rain out between the Mets and Braves might have been a positive thing for a team still trying to figure out its starting rotation.

John Maine will indeed go today at 3:55 against Tim Hudson as planned, which allows the Mets' pitcher with the best spring training to prove his worth.

Mike Pelfrey, the Mets most consistently-bad pitcher during the spring, will have to wait to get his shot at the division rivals. He will get his shot at the other division rival, the Philadelphia Phillies.

In order to keep Johan Santana on regular rest, the Mets bumped Pelfrey from the Braves series allowing Santana to pitch in the finale. In the upcoming series against the Philies, Oliver Perez will get the opener, Pelfrey the second game, and Maine, the finale. (NY DAILY NEWS)

OTHER NEWS
- P Duaner Sanchez gave up two solo home runs in one inning of work last night for Single-A Saint Lucie. (NY DAILY NEWS)
- P Pedro Martinez is scheduled to arrive in Ports Saint Lucie on Monday to begin rehabbing his left hamstring. (NY DAILY NEWS)
- P Orlando Hernandez is expected to make two additional starts for St. Lucie and then join the Mets after one start by Nelson Figueroa. (NY DAILY NEWS)

Ollie Ollie Oxen Free

2008-04-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Just one night after the Mets lost Pedro Martinez to the DL due to a hamstring injury, Oliver Perez showed why he can be a very reliable starting pitcher in this currently depleted Mets rotation.

Perez showed signs of brilliance tonight throwing six scoreless innings, giving up only five hits and striking out eight fish in the Mets' 13-0 shellacking of the Florida Marlins.

David Wright continues on his torrid pace, going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI's. OF Ryan Church also duplicated those stats. Wright has now extended his hitting streak to 20 games carrying over from last season.

The Mets' offense totaled 17 hits, including six extra-base hits in the victory.

John Maine will make his season debut as the Mets travel to Atlanta Friday to face Tim Hudson and the Braves.

Pedro's Injury Leads to Late Inning Drama

2008-04-01T20:34:00.001-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

It's day two of the 2008 season and already, the Mets are sweating. Not only did the club loose a heart-breaker in the 10th inning to the Florida Marlins, but they may have also lost one of their aces.

Pedro Martinez just never seemed to have his control tonight. Giving up two first inning runs off of a Dan Uggla home run was just the beginning of a rough night for the 209-win veteran. Martinez would go on to allow two more runs off of a Louis Gonzalez home run in the second inning.

Just as things might have been looking up for the right-hander, he pulled his right hamstring during a routine pitch in the fourth inning.

The Mets, minus Pedro, rallied from four down to tie the game in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by LF Angel Pagan after David Wright led off the inning with a single.

The Mets bullpen was stellar for five plus innings until Matt Wise surrendered a walk-off home run in the 10th inning to Renyel Pinto.

Tomorrow at 7:10 EST, the teams will meet in the rubber match as Oliver Perez goes for the Mets.

Santana Shines as Mets Win Opener

2008-03-31T20:33:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn with notes from Dan Canfield Berman)

No one doubted the fact that Johan Santana would fit nicely in a Mets uniform. It was the other 24 players that fans worried about this Spring. However a 6-2 victory over the division rival Florida Marlins opened the book on what most are saying could be a phenomenal year.

Santana took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but Josh Willingham wasn't going to allow the first Mets no-hitter to come on his turf as he hit a two-run homer to put the Marlins on the board.

David Wright led the offensive charge for the Mets going 2-4 with 3 RBI's, including a bases clearing double in the fourth inning. New faces Angel Pagan and Ryan Church each added a hit and an RBI to help cement a 6-2 victory and Santana's first win as a Met.

Tomorrow, Pedro Martinez will make his season debut against the Marlins' Rick VandenHurk. Game time is set for 7:10 EST.

Roster Moves

2008-03-31T07:33:00.001-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Opening day is upon us and Willy Randolph waited until the last possible moment to decide on a distinct roster. Here are the roster moves that finalized the club's opening day roster.

Mike Pelfrey- Named team's fifth starter in rotation
Joe Smith- Made opening day roster
Brian Stokes- Designated for assignment
Brady Clark- Made opening day roster
Raul Casanova- Named back-up catcher until Ramon Castro is healthy
Orlando Hernandez- 15-day DL
Fernando Tatis- Assigned to Minor League camp
Ricardo Rincon- Assigned to Minor League camp
Nelson Figueroa- Assigned to Minor League camp
Angel Pagan- Will start on opening day against Marlins

Pitcher Ponage

2008-03-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

I tried this earlier but this time I think it will work. For those of you new to this feature, before every series, I am going to take the opponent's game one pitcher and talk about which Mets player dominates them the most. So, without further adieu, the Met that dominates Florida's Mark Hendrickson the most is...

Moises Alou.

Although Hendrickson has faired very well against the Mets, Alou has gotten the better of him. In eight at-bats, Alou has three hits (.375) and one RBI. Alou is currently on the disabled list but should be back sometime in April. We'll have to see how he fares the next time he faces Hendrickson.

Sunday Schmooz

2008-03-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

The name of the piece is "Shea Stadium Classic" by Thomas Kolendra. The following description comes directly from Ebay...

"It measures 15 1/2" height by 36" width published in 1993. It's getting close to midnight, October 27, 1986, Game 7 of the World Series, and Jesse Orosco is on his knees exulting after striking out Marty Barrett for the final out of the game. Shea Stadium is rocking. After losing the first two games of the Series to the Red Sox, the Mets have stormed back to capture the second World Championship in their history and first since 1969. Gary Carter (C), Keith Hernandez (1B), Wally Backman (2B), Rafael Santana (SS), Ray Knight (3B), Mookie Wilson (LF), Lenny Dykstra (CF) and Darryl Strawberry (RF) are ready to join the celebration."

Kolendra is a wonderful artist and his works have been featured in the Hall of Fame. For more information on this piece, as well as others, visit...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350038223113&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

Roster Moves

2008-03-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

The Mets announced three more roster moves today and are getting close to their final 25-man roster for opening day on Monday.

Anderson Hernandez- New Orleans (AAA)

Steven Register- Returned to Colorado Rockies for half of the $50,000 Rule 5 drafting fee.

Ruben Gotay- Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.

ESPN's Steve Phillips Weighs In

2008-03-28T12:35:00.001-07:00

First, Phillips picked the Mets to win the NL East and face the Diamondbacks in the NLDS.

Then, Phillips picked the NLCS...

Phillips then gave his take on the World Series.

Church Voices Approval to amazin' Amazins

2008-03-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

(By Brett Kahn with interview by Billy Huffman)

Before spring training game against the Atlanta Braves yesterday, OF Ryan Church talked to amazin' Amazins correspondent Billy Huffman about various topics...

(On joining the Mets) "It's an exciting time. This team is built to win now...There is no longer any talk of last year. The only focus is to start this year fresh. We have the ability to reach our goals."

(On friend and teammate Brian Schnieder) "Brian was a very important person in my professional development. He was a mentor to me when I joined the major leagues and will be a very important part of the Mets."

(On playing only right field) "When I came here, they told me that that was going to be the position that I would play. So far, that has been the case. Obviously I think this team has taken great steps to be a contender. We have quality in all positions and have improved our starting pitching...I'm happy to be here."

Church has definitely begun to fit in with the club, especially defensively making a number of nice catches during the spring. Although he missed a week due to a concussion earlier in the spring, Church feels that he is ready to add to an already stellar lineup.

Mambo No. 5

2008-03-26T08:48:00.001-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

The Mets rotation now seems to be four strong. However, the big question on everyone's mind is: who is number five?

The front runner at this point seems to be Mike Pelfrey. The Mets still want to see if this kid can reach his full potential. Although, nothing has been determined yet, Pelfrey does have the most experience when it comes to pitching in the club's rotation. The problem is, he was 3-8 last season a 5.57 ERA and this spring hasn't been any better for the struggling flame-thrower. In five starts, Pelfrey is 0-1 with a Jose Lima-like 8.31 ERA, in 17.1 innings.

Next on this list is probably Jorge Sosa. Now that El Duque is almost surely not going to start the season in the rotation, Sosa has jumped up on the probability list. Sosa, unlike Pelfrey, has been great this spring. In six appearances, he has posted an ERA of 0.75 in 12 innings of work. If he does become the fifth starter, he might only fufill that role until the Mets feel that Pelfrey is ready.

Last on this list is someone that isn't even on the team yet? Although Claudio Vargas just cleared waivers yesterday, GM Omar Minaya definitely has his eye on him. The problem with Vargas is his career 4.95 ERA in five big-league seasons. We'll have to wait and see if Minaya pulls the trigger on this one.

Since the club is very confident that Johan Santana will pitch every fifth day, they might not be making this decision for a little while or, until an injury forces them to do so.

Maine is No. 4 Starter?

2008-03-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

Maine has had a dominant spring with a 1.78 ERA, but he will have to wait until the second series against the Braves to show his stuff to the world.

Oliver Perez has been placed in front of Maine in the rotation, but not because he is necessarily better. Perez is now slated to face the Philadelphia Phillies twice in the first 21 games of the season. He will get the opportunity to try and shut down lefties Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

Maine said that he doesn't mind being the fourth starter, mentioning that he gets to go out and pitch every five days regardless. Against the Orioles on Monday, he again showed why he will be a fixture in the club's rotation. He pitched six shutout innings against the team that traded him back in 2006.

As for future plans, Maine would like to pitch 200 innings this season, which he came within nine last season. Oh yeah. Did I mention he wants to make the playoffs this season? No one would've guessed that, right? (NY DAILY NEWS)

Sanchez Likely to Be Left Out on Opening Day but Johan will Definitely Be There

2008-03-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

Will he or won't he make the roster? That was the question. However, it seems like we finally have our answer.

The Mets have pretty much come to the conclusion that Duaner Sanchez will get an extended spring training and then join the team sometime in either April or May.

Sanchez pitched one inning yesterday against the St. Louis Cardinals AAA affiliate, but he wasn't sure if he was going to try and pitch this week in back-to-back games, which is something the Mets are requiring for him to be on the opening day roster.

GM Omar Minaya doesn't want to push Sanchez to make an earlier return. (NY POST)

In other news, Willy Randolph has officially named Johan Santana as the Mets opening day starter against the Marlins next Monday. (NY POST)

Roster Moves

2008-03-23T20:57:00.001-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

Here are today's roster moves...

Jose Valentin- extended spring training roster
Moises Alou- DL
Jason Vargas- DL
Ambiorix Burgos- DL

Sorry for the confusion with regards to earlier reports of Jose Valentin. He is still on the team but will be rehabbing then starting the season in the minors.

Sunday Schmooz

2008-03-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

(By Brett Kahn)

The following was all taken directly from the Dicks Sports website...

Tom Terrific. The Miracle Mets. It's Wednesday night, July 9, 1969, at Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens. The Mets are on their way to a World Championship. Tom Seaver, 24, is headed for a 25-7 record and the National League Cy Young award. A perfect season, and on this night almost a perfect game for the future Hall of Fame righthander. The scoreboard tells the story: one out in the ninth, the Mets leading the Cubs 4-0 and No. 42, Jim Qualls at-bat for Chicago. To this point, Seaver has been perfect -- 25 straight outs, 11 strikeouts, no walks, no baserunners. With 59,083 fans cheering wildly for every out and gripped by every pitch, Qualls, a 22-year old rookie, will end the dream with a solid single to left-center, between LF Cleon Jones and CF Tommie Agee. Agony. For a moment. And then unending ovation as Seaver gets the final 2 outs. It is the second-place Mets' seventh straight victory; the first-place Cubs' fifth straight loss. The Amazin's are within 3 games. The rest, as they say, is glorious history. Note: The second baseman is Wayne Garrett.

Features

Artist's name: Bill Purdom
Dimensions: 21 5/8 in x 29 5/8 in
Release date: 1997
Edition size: 600
Hand numbered and signed by the artist
From an original painting
This lithograph is shipped in a heavy-duty cardboard tube for protection

For more information regarding this piece, visit their website at...

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/sm-good-sports-art-new-york-mets-seavers-one-hitter-lithograph--pi-973306.html#1

Perez Struggles, Beltran Finds Groove

2008-03-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

(by Brett Kahn)

Having three legitimate starters at this point is nice for a team that needs to rely on starting pitching. However, not having a legitimate fourth or fifth starter might be need for concern.

When Oliver Perez releases the ball too high, he usually serves up some grapefruits. Today was no exception as he gave up four home runs in five innings, including two to all-star catcher Victor Martinez.

Perez's ERA for the spring is now a whopping 5.79. However, today's game wasn't all bad for the club.

Carlos Beltran finally hit his first home run of the spring after having off-season surgery on his knees. This is a nice sign for the team as Beltran seems to be the only sure starter in the outfield come opening day.

In other pitching news, Orlando Hernandez will make his much anticipated spring training debut this Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals. If El Duque doesn't prove to be the fifth starter, Mike Pelfrey is the next option. Pelfrey has been anything but stellar, posting a 5.54 ERA over four grapefruit league starts.

Wright has the Stuff vs. Nats

2008-03-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

(by Jeffrey Shea Frandsen)

David Wright had three hits, including his first home run of the spring to help the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 8-2 at Port St. Lucie on Friday.

Pedro Martinez looked comfortable as cruised through five innings, allowing two runs and striking out four.

Other Game Notes:

Carlos Beltran finally got his stroke going as he went 2-3 with a single and a double.
Ricardo Rincon struck out 2 and allowed no runs in one inning of relief.

Oliver Perez gets the start tomorrow afternoon against the Indians in Winter Haven. Joe Smith and Nelson Figueroa are also slated to pitch.

Santana Having "Double" the Fun

2008-03-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

(by Jeffrey Shea Frandsen)

As both Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post and David Lennon of Newsday explain, Johan Santana is excited about playing on both sides of the ballfield this season.

During the Mets 7-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles yesterday at Tradition Field, Santana lead the Mets with 6 scoreless innings, allowing five hits, one walk, and striking out seven to notch his first victory of the spring.

But that's not the line that reporters were raving about after the game.

At the plate, Santana went 1-1 with a walk, a double, and a run scored. The offense came in the second inning when he ripped a Jon Leicester pitch into the right centerfield gap. Jose Reyes drove him in with a single.

When he went out to pitch the following inning, he needed a chance to catch his breath.

"That's the toughest thing for a pitcher," said Santana, a career .286 hitter. "I've got to be careful. For me, it's going to be a learning process, but I was able to recover pretty quick."

Also buzzing in Port St. Lucie:

Orlando Hernandez threw mostly Reagan era pitches on Tuesday during his bullpen session as he prepares for his first start of the spring on Sunday. (Newsday)
Duaner Sanchez "knows" he'll be ready for opening day. (NY Times)
Damion Easley says it will be hard to replace Moises Alou. (Daily News)
David Wright is working on doing the "unspectacular" at third this season. (Daily News)
Brian Schneider says his hamstring is feeling fine. (NY Post)

Fantasy Mets

2008-03-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had my fantasy baseball draft on yahoo.com. Besides the fact that most of the people in the draft had no clue what they were doing, a good amount of Mets were taken. So, here is when they were taken and why...

Johan Santana- 1 (1st Rd.) As much as I would like to jump on the Santana bandwagon, it doesn't mean that he should've been taken first overall because he shouldn't have. Yes he might win 20 games, win a cy young, and lead the league in strikeouts, but you don't take a pitcher with the first pick. You just don't. 2nd round, maybe.

Jose Reyes- 6 (1st Rd.) Although Reyes struggled offensively down the stretch last year, he is still one of the best lead-off hitters in the game. Not to mention the fact he is capable of stealing 100 bases, driving in 90 runs and hitting 20 home runs. This was a steal in the draft because he could've gone as high as third.

David Wright- 9 (1st Rd.) Wright not only hits for average, but he has averaged 28 HR's and 108 RBI's in his last three seasons. He also stole a career-high 34 bases last season. He finished fourth in the MVP race and probably hasn't reached his full potential yet. This was also a nice steal because he could've gone as high as fifth.

Carlos Beltran- 22 (2nd Rd.) Beltran has definitely come into his own after three seasons in the big apple. He posted 30 HR's and 110 RBI's for the second straight season. He also stole 23 bases, the most for him since 2004. Again, since people weren't all that informed during this draft, Beltran could've moved up five spots.

Billy Wagner- 91 (7th Rd.) Wags was the fourth closer to be chosen in this draft. Although his back woes have slowed him as of late, he is still capable of 40 saves with a very respectable ERA. I think he was taken a little too soon and believe that there are 5-6 better than he is.

John Maine- 144 (12th Rd.) Maine was stellar in the first part of last season going 4-0 with a 1.35 ERA. However, he struggled badly down the stretch, but was still able to win 15 games while striking out 180 batters. So far in spring training, Maine has been spectacular and I think he could win 18 games this season.

Carlos Delgado- 154 (13th Rd.) Delgado is starting to get old, which is probably one of the best reasons that the Mets have not extended his contract past this season. Delgado missed 30 HR's and 100 RBI's for the first time since 1997. He also hit .258, his worst since 1995. Don't expect the world from Delgado this season although he is still capable of putting up the numbers that he missed last season.

Pedro Martinez- 158 (14 Rd.) Pedro isn't the Pedro of old. This is no secret. His fastball doesn't reach 90 anymore but his breaking pitches have become fairly nasty. Because of injury, he most likely won't pitch 200 innings or have a stellar ERA. He still might be an asset due to his very good K/BB ratio.

Orlando Hernandez- 159 (15th Rd.) There is no doubt when healthy that El Duque can be one of the better pitchers in the game. However, that is not currently the case. His first spring training start is coming this Sunday and who knows what that will bring. There are just too many question marks with El Duque at this point.

Oliver Perez- 188 (16th Rd.) Perez had his finest season since 1999 last year. He won 15 games with a 3.56 ERA, while striking out 174 batters. His problem is consistency. If he releases the ball at the right point, he can be dominant. If he doesn't, he can be disastrous.

Top 10 Pitching Performances

2008-03-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

More from Matthew Silverman's "Mets Essential". This time, we are exploring the top 10 Mets pitching performances of all-time. So, without further adieu, here it is...

10. Sid Fernandez (October 27, 1986)-- This is the only relief appearance on the list. This 2 1/3 innings of relief came in the seventh game of the '86 series after starter Ron Darling was knocked out in the fourth inning. Fernandez was brilliant as the Mets won the title. We shouldv'e seen it coming as Sid went 16-6 that year, with a 3.52 ERA, which was arguably his best season.

9. Dave Mlicki (June 16, 1997)-- This "amazin" shutout performance came in the first ever meeting between the two clubs from New York. He only had two wins up to that point and finished the season at 8-12, with a 4.00 ERA.

8. Pedro Martinez (April 10, 2005)-- after the club started 0-5 under rookie manager Willie Randolph, Pedro assured that the Mets would win atleast one game, as he threw a complete game 2-hitter to outduel John Smoltz's 15K performance. Pedro would throw three more complete games that season as he went 15-8, with a 2.82 ERA.

7. David Cone (October 6, 1991)-- Although the Mets were a mess, Cone struck out 19 Phillies, allowed three hits, and walked one in the season finale.

6. Jerry Koosman (October 16, 1969)-- Kooz clinched the club's first world series championship as he tossed a complete game. He had taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning in game one of the series. Kooz was dominant in '69 posting a 17-9 record, with a 2.29 ERA, the lowest of his career.

5. Dwight Gooden (September 7, 1984)-- Doc gave up only one hit, while striking out 11 to set the rookie strikeout record. He would go on to strikeout 16 in his next two starts. Fitting that he would go on to win rookie of the year.

4. Al Leiter (October 4, 1999)-- After the club tied Cincinnati for the wild-card, Leiter got the nod for the one-game playoff and would only allow two hits to lead the Mets to their first postseason appearance in 11 years.

3. Bobby Jones (October, 4, 1999)-- Jones pitched a one-hitter to clinch the division series against the Giants. It was his final victory in a Mets uniform.

2. Tom Seaver (April 22, 1970)-- Just four days after Nolan Ryan set the club strikeout record with 15, Seaver whiffed 19 Padres, including the last 10 in a row.

1. Tom Seaver (July 9, 1969)-- In front of 60,000 at Shea, Seaver took a perfect game one out into the ninth. It's good that the best Mets pitching performance of all-time was thrown by the best Mets hurler of all-time.

Mets Not Sure Where El Duque Stands

2008-03-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

During the off-season, the organization wasn't sure whether or not Orlando Hernandez would fit better in the starting rotation or in the bullpen. Now more than ever, like a young girl who can't decide which boy to take to the dance, El Duque is sending mixed signals to the Mets coaching staff.

Having only made two simulated starts, showing anything but dominance, one might ask if Hernandez is really ready for a real spring training start.

The coaching staff has tried to make sense of this whole situation by telling the media that El Duque is still trying to find his rythym and not trying to strike anyone out.

Omar Minaya also made comments about the lack of definitiveness in El Duque's stuff. He mentioned that there was progress but there are still other things that people need to see.

In 2004, when he was battling back from elbow surgery with the Yankees, the organization wasn't all that impressed with his progress but decided to sign him to a four-year deal. Four years later, he has only won 48 games and a world series ring.

Conflicting information? Yes, but after this weekend's start against the Cardinals, we should be able to get a better insight into El Duque's status as a Met.

Roster Moves

2008-03-17T10:20:00.001-07:00

Obviously, this will be getting bigger as the team gets closer to opening day. As of today, here are the roster moves.

Adam Bostick- New Orleans (AAA)
Robert Parnell- re-assignment
Eddie Kunz- re-assignment
Juan Padilla- re-assignment
Andy Cavazos- re-assigment
Brant Rustich- re-assignment
Ivan Maldonado- re-assignment
Jonathan Niese- re-assignment
Ryan Cullen- re-assignment
Salomon Manriquez- re-assigment
Mike Nickeas- re-assignment
Anderson Machado- re-assignment
Ben Johnson- re-assignment
Michel Abreu- re-assignment
Willy Colazo- New Orleans (AAA)
Carlos Muniz- New Orleans (AAA)
Jason Vargas- cut
Jose Valentin- cut

It's Looking Good

2008-03-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

No one really knew how Pedro Martinez would come back from an injury plagued season. Yesterday, some of those uncertainties were undoubtably put to rest.

Pedro Martinez looked very good in his first spring training outing yesterday against the Tigers. He pitched four scoreless innings giving up only four hits and strikin out four. His breaking pitches seemed to catch everyone off-guard as most of the Tigers' batters were caught gazing at Martinez's 68 mph sweeping curve that made the crowd come together in a collective "oooh".

Martinez seemed very pleased with his efforts as he flipped the game ball to a young girl sitting in the front row.

Notables for the Mets yesterday with Carlos Delgado and Louis Castillo. Both drove in a run in the 7-4 win.

Pedro Pedro Pedro

2008-03-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

For a team and it's fans that seems to feel confident about their pitching staff for the season, there is a lot of buzz surrounding Pedro Martinez's first spring training start today against the Detroit Tigers.

With Santana, Maine, Perez, and Pelfrey already putting their cards on the table for all fans to see, it's tme for Pedro to do the same.

This will be his first Grapefruit league start since 2006 and it couldn't be coming at a better time for a Mets team that is starting to recuperate from a lot of spring training injuries.

Pedro insists that he feels great and is healthier than he's been the last two years, considering he hasn't had a full season since then.

Martinez came back from shoulder surgery in September and he looked very controlled. His fastball wasn't up to par, but his other pitches compensated.

In five starts last season, Pedro went 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA, with 32 strikeouts. He is slated to be the number two starter in this year's rotation.

Sunday Schmooz

2008-03-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Now, back to business...

This week's installment focuses on a Mike Piazza painting done back in 2004. It is a blend of Piazza's status as "king" of NY, as well as the spirit of Queens.

Edgar J. Brown has always been a New York sports fan and a lot of his work is inspired by that. His work has appeared in every major national media outlet that one can think of. He has done works for Lawrence Taylor, Mark Bavaro, Ottis Anderson, Phillipi Sparks, Tiki Barber & Michael Strahan, just to name a few.

This particular painting was inspired by Piazza's 352 home run as a catcher, passing Carlton Fisk for the most all-time.

It is a 24 x 36 acrylic and the original is available for sale. For more information on Brown's inspired work, visit his website at...

http://www.edgarbrown.com/index.php

Dancing Shoes

2008-03-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to say welcome back! It has been an amazing week for me as my TEMPLE OWLS are going to the dance after winning an improbable A-10 championship. Congratulations to Fran Dunphy and the rest of the staff and team. From a team at 14-12 with no shot, to a team at 21-12 as champions, it is truly a feeling that I will never forget as long as I live. Let's gooooo Owls!

State of the Union

2008-03-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen. I will be taking a vacation starting tomorrow and will not be back until Saturday. I might have limited or no computer access when I am there. If that is the case, I most likely will not be posting until Saturday. Luckily, I am taking this vacation now and not during the season. During the season, my attention will be focused on making this blog the best and most informative it can be.

I thank you to those that have followed this project so far and I hope it continues to succeed. Thanks again and let's go Mets!

Player Profile- Brady Clark

2008-03-11T13:22:00.000-07:00

Another old face in a new place, if you count Angel Pagan. Brady Clark was signed to a minor league deal by the Mets on February 15. Last season with the Dodgers and Padres, Clark hit .262 (28-107) with 11 RBI's, in 68 games.

Born on April 18, 1973 in Portland, Oregon, Clark stayed in the state until he graduated from Sunset High School. He then attended the University of San Diego.

In 1996, he was signed by the Cincinnatti Reds as an amateur free agent. With the AAA Louisville RiverBats in 2000, he appeared in 132 games, batting .304, with 16 HR's and 79 RBI's. This solid minor league stint allowed him to finally be called up by the Reds during the 2000 season.

Clark's best major league season came in 2005 with the Milwaukee Brewers. He appeared in 145 games, batting .306, with 13 HR's, 53 RBI's, and 10 SB's.

Spring Training Update (Notes)

2008-03-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

(by Dan Canfield Berman)

Mets 1 Red Sox 1

Pitching was yet again the story for the Mets as Johan Santana pitched four scoreless innings striking out four, as the Mets settled for a 1-1 tie against Boston.

Pitcher Matt Wise relieved Santana in the fifth and went two innings allowing no earned runs.

The offense was stingy with only five hits but, Angel Pagan, who started in center field, had a hit that added to his sizzling spring. He is now batting .421. Pagan also flashed his leather and made a great catch to stop a double in the sixth inning.

Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado made their first starts of the spring as Beltran was the DH and Delgado started at first. Both went hitless.

Dan might be attending warm-ups tomorrow morning so check back for updates...

I Conformed

2008-03-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

In order to get the readership that I hope this blog gets, I added a facebook group for it today. It is under the name "The Amazin Amazins".

So if you are on facebook, please join and continue to spread the word. Thanks and Let's go Mets!

The Maine Event

2008-03-09T15:48:00.000-07:00

Mets fans can breathe easy for the moment when it comes to the starting rotation. John Maine looked brilliant this afternoon as the Mets rolled to another Grapefruit League victory.

After Oliver Perez and Mike Pelfrey looked less than stellar in their starts, John Maine proved why the Mets will rely on him to carry the pitching load along with Johan Santana this season.

Maine threw four scoreless, hitless innings in today's 3-0 win over the Houston Astros as his fastball stayed consistently around 94 mph.

Speaking of Santana, he will make his third start tomorrow against the Red Sox. Look for him to throw four innnings.

Sunday Schmooz

2008-03-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

This week's installment of "Sunday Schmooz" focuses on an original acrylic Dwight Gooden painting.

This is a 16 x 20 one of a kind hand painted acrylic portrait of former Mets great Dwight Gooden painted by world renown artist Leon Wolf.

Wolf's paintings have graced the walls of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. His works have also been featured on the cover of the famed Beckett magazine as well as many galleries in New York. Many athletes an celebrities have purchased Wolf's work, making him well-known throughout the U.S. and Japan.

This particular piece is currently being sold on EBAY for $300.

For more information, visit Leon Wolf's website at...

http://www.leonwolf.com

Spring Training Update (Notes)

2008-03-08T17:58:00.000-08:00

(by Dan Canfield Berman)

I got a chance to witness warm-ups this morning before the Marlins game. Carlos Beltran and Louis Castillo both were doing some light stretching and running, but nothing too heavy.

Florida 12 Mets 4

The focal point seemed to revolve around how many position players would play in today's game. The fans got answers as Jose Reyes, David Wright, Ryan Church, and Brian Schneider got significant playing time. Duaner Sanchez also made a relief appearance in the 7th inning after not pitching for a week.

Wright looked better defensively after taking some really bad hops. He also added a single early in the game. Reyes went 0-4 at the plate as he was relieved late in the game by Jesus Feliciano.

Ryan Church made his first appearance after the concussion he suffered last week. He went 2-2, with two singles. Fellow former Nationals catcher Brian Schneider homered in the second inning to give the Mets their first run of the game.

Duaner Sanchez continues to battle back after an injury plagued 2007 season. In his one inning of relief today, he struck out and walked a batter, while only facing four batters.

The next spring training update will come Monday. Until then...

Spring Training Updates

2008-03-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

Luckily, I was able to contact a good friend and fellow Mets fan Dan Canfield Berman, who happens to be down in Port St. Lucie, Florida right now watching spring training. Over the next day or two, I will provide updates from reports that he sends me. Hopefully, he will have some pictures that I can post, but those will come later on.

Check back later for updates.

Don't Underestimate the JV Team

2008-03-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

Let's face it. The Mets injury list is only getting bigger, causing some unknowns to step up and show what they can add to the team. With only two position players (David Wright and Jose Reyes) available, we will continue to see what the guys with the high numbers and no names can do. Here are some of those players to watch this spring.

16 Angel Pagan- Although Pagan is pretty much a lock to make the team, I felt it necessary to point out his dominant spring training so far. Pagan is hitting .438, with 6 RBI's in nine games this spring. He also plays a nice center field which might come in handy if Carlos Beltran isn't 100% by opening day.

Fernando Martinez- Martinez is probably the Mets number one prospect heading into the season, and is very fortunate to still be with the club after almost being traded to the Twins in the Santana deal. Martinez most likely won't make the opening day roster, but don't count him out just yet with all of these injuries. Martinez spent most of his time last season in AA Binghamton. There, he hit .271, with 4 HR's and 21 RBI's in 60 games. Martinez is batting .292 in eight games this spring.

Olmedo Saenz- Saenz is another one of those guys that probably won't make the team come opening day, but he's still a guy that might see some major league action this year. Saenz came over in free agency from the Dodgers. If/when he does get called up, expect him to hit some long balls. Saenz is 11th all-time with 12 pinch-hit HR's, in his nine-year career.

Brady Clark- Clark and Saenz are sort of in the same position. Both have major league experience, but both will probably spend most of the year in AAA. Clark, however can hit for average. In his eight-year career, he is a .278 hitter. Watch him to possibly get called up if the Mets OF doesn't hold up.

Alou to Miss 4-6 Weeks

2008-03-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

You can pretty much guarantee that a player that has only played a combined 185 games the past two seasons is going to get injured at some point. That's no exception for Mets LF Moises Alou.

Alou will undergo a hernia operation today and will likely miss up the first 30 games of the season.

Minaya, as well as the rest of the staff, was well aware of Alou's injury-prone track record and had already prepared for when they could loose him to the DL. That came came sooner than later, which is probably good for a team that struggled down the stretch last season.

Alou adds to a lavish Mets injury list that includes: Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Louis Castillo, Brian Schneider and the recently injured Ryan Church.

Alou was hoping to get 500 AB's this season but that number will most likely decrease for every day that Alou is hurt.

Although he saw limited action last year due to injury, the 40-year-old Alou batted a more than respectable .341, with 13 HR's and 49 RBI's, in 87 games.

The team will most likely platoon Endy Chavez and Damion Easley in LF, as the season starts.

New, But Familiar Coach

2008-03-04T16:50:00.001-08:00

After the 1990 season, no one in their right mind thought that one of the most controversial players ever to wear orange and blue would be sober, for one thing, and back with the team that he seemed to never really want to play for. Well, he is, and the Mets are happy to have him back, now, as a full-time employee.

Darryl Strawberry was hired yesterday as a Spring Training instructor, spokesman for the team's outreach program, and as a minor league observer.

It seemed like GM Omar Minaya wanted to hire the once great Met back in 2004, but Minaya pointed out that Strawberry needed to take care of some personal issues before that were to happen.

As a Met player from 1983-1990, Strawberry was just short of immortal. He won the NL Rookie of the Year award in '83 and finished second in the MVP race in '88. He also made four all-star teams with the club. He was traded to the Dodgers in 1990 and was never the same player. Drug, tax, and other personal problems caused Strawberry's career to decline. All of which ultimately led to his retirement in 1999, as a member of the Yankees.

Stopping Shea Smoking

2008-03-04T16:40:00.000-08:00

In preparation for the opening of Citi Field in 2009, the Mets announced today that there will be no more smoking inside Shea Stadium this summer.

There will be a single smoking area outside the stadium, however, fans will not be allowed to smoke on any of the concourses or ramps.

Sorry fans, hopefully this year's team won't drive you to that point.

Top 10 Worst Mets Trades

2008-03-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

I am a firm believer of the yin and the yang. That is why I must present the worst Mets Trades off all-time. I am doing this not to annoy or discourage, but to inform and entertain.

Again, this list comes from Matthew Silverman's book "Mets Essential". So, here it is...

10. Melvin Mora--- Acquired by the Baltimore Orioles on July 28, 2000. Mora replaced injured SS at the time Rey Ordonez. The Mets didn't think they could win a championship with the defensively shaky Mora and he went on to have successful career with the Orioles, especially in 2004. That year he hit .340 with 27 HR's and 104 RBI's, good for 18th in the MVP race.

9. Jeff Kent--- Acquired by The Cleveland Indians on July 29, 1996. Kent and Jose Vizcaino went to Cleveland for Alvaro Espinoza, who appeared in 48 games as a Met, and Carlos Baerga who never measured up to expectations. Kent only spent one full season in Cleveland and was traded in '97 to San Francisco for Matt Williams. That year, Kent finished eigth in the MVP race batting .250, with 29 HR's and 121 RBI's.

8. Jeff Reardon--- Acquired by the Montreal Expos on May 21, 1981. After leaving the Mets, Reardon went on to be an extremely effective reliever in both Montreal and Minnesota. In Minnesota, he led the AL in saves in '85, while finishing seventh in the AL Cy Young race. Currently, Reardon ranks sixth on the all-time saves list with 367.

7. Jason Isringhausen--- Acquired by the Oakland A's on July 31, 1999. Isringhausen was dealt for a sub-par combination of Greg McMichael, who the Mets had already dealt for twice, and Bill Taylor. Taylor had an 8.10 ERA with the club, while Isringhausen posted 33 saves with the A's in 2000. He also led the NL in saves with 47, as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

6. Scott Kazmir-- Acquired by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on July 30, 2004. Look for this one to constanly rise as Victor Zambrano continues to falter and Kazmir, at the age of 24, only gets better.

5. Lenny Dystra--- Acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies on June 18, 1989. How do you let a guy go that helped define your best run in team history? Well, Frank Cashen did and it was probably the worst deal he ever made. Dystra went on to lead the Phils to the World Series in '93. He also finished second in the MVP race that year batting .305, with 19 HR's, 66 RBI's and 37 SB's.

4. Rusty Staub--- Acquired by the Detroit Tigers on December 12, 1975. The Mets got pitcher Mickey Lolich out of this deal. He pitched one year for the club. Staub, on the other hand, was dominant in Detroit, finishing fifth in the MVP race in 1978 batting .273 with 24 HR's and 121 RBI's.

3. Tom Seaver--- Acquired by the Cinicinatti Reds on June 15, 1977. The best Mets' pitcher of all-time was traded for a bunch of nobodys. He ended up finshing second in the NL Cy Young race in '81 and fourth in '79. Oh, the humanity.

2. Amos Otis--- Acquired by the Kansas City Royals on December 3, 1969. The Mets never really gave this kid a chance. So, what happened? He only was a four time all-star for the Royals and led the team to the '76 World Series. No big deal.

1. Nolan Ryan--- Who else??? Acquired by California Angels on December 10, 1971. The Mets were desperate for a third basemen which led to the trade of their best pitching prospect. Ryan will go down as one of the best pitchers of all-time with 324 career wins, (14th all-time) 5714 strikeouts, (1st all-time) and a 3.19 ERA. I think this one will live in Mets infamy.

Sunday Schmooz

2008-03-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

This week's featured painting is "Met Legends" by Alan Zuniga.

Zuniga, born in Cuba, fled to the U.S. when he was just six years old to evade Castro's reign of communism. He took his passion for art and sports and turned into a very successful business venture.

Now, residing in Hoover, Alabama with his wife Shannon and their two children, Zuniga continues to sell his very detailed sports paintings virtually everywhere in the country.

This particular piece is currently on-sale for $120. It is a 25 x 18 3/8 inches limited edition lithograph that focuses on former Mets' greats Tom Seaver, Darryl Strawberry, and "Doc" Gooden.

For more information of Zuniga's work, visit his website at...

http://alanzuniga.com/home.html

Church's Bell Gets Rung

2008-03-01T20:19:00.001-08:00

Just hours after the report that Delgado might miss time due to a hip injury, ESPN reported that OF Ryan Church will miss a few days due to a concussion.

Church collided with fellow OF Marlon Anderson during the Mets 1-0 win over the Dodgers Saturday.

Met fans still cringe when thinking about the collision between Carlos Beltran and Mike Cameron in 2005, when they banged heads while pursuing a ball in the outfield.

Church adds to a Mets injury list that already includes Beltran, Damion Easley, Endy Chavez, Louis Castillo, and Ben Johnson; all of whom have yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game.

The Mets acquired Church this past off-season after releasing OF Shawn Green. Church had a productive season with the Washington Nationals in 2007, batting .272 with 15 HR's and 70 RBI's.

Delgado Might Miss Time

2008-03-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

According to ESPN.com today, Carlos Delgado experienced some discomfort in his right hip and returned to New York for an MRI today.

According to Mets GM Omar Minaya, this injury is unrelated to the one that caused Delgado to miss time last season.

For the time being, if Delgado can't go, Damion Easley, Marlon Anderson, Olmedo Saenz, or Jose Valentin could see time at 1st.

As far as prospects are concerned, Michel Abreu seems to be the only contender for the possibly vacant position. Abreu missed all of 2007 because of a visa issue and in 2006, he appeared in 111 games with the AA Binghamton Mets, hitting .332 with 17 HR's and 70 RBI's.

Top 10 Acquistions

2008-02-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

We all know about the epic Omar Minaya deals. From Johan Santana to Carlos Beltran, Minaya has brought the excitement back to Queens. But, prior to Minaya, some pretty heavy trades added to the times and tribulation to the team that we know and love.

While reading the book "Mets Essential" by Matthew Silverman, I came across an interesting list that most Mets fans should find fairly interesting. So, here it is. Here are Top 10 Mets Acquisitions of all-time, prior to Minaya.

10. Tommy Agee and Al Weiss--- These two were sent from the Chicago Whitesox on December 15, 1967. Give Gil Hodges some credit with these deals because he knew both of them from the American League. Agee could hit and played a nice center field. Weiss also played 2nd for the Mets on the '69 championship team.

9. Al Leiter--- Leiter was acquired from the Marlins on February 6, 1998 in a deal that sent A.J. Burnett to Florida. Leiter was instrumental part of the club during the '99 and '00 playoff runs and, he finished 6th in the NL Cy Young race in 1998. He also was named to the All-Star game in 2000.

8. Don Clendenon--- Acquired from the Montreal Expos on June 15, 1969 for four prospects. He provided valuable protection for Cleon Jones in the middle of the Mets potent lineup during the miracle year. However, he arguably had his best year with the club in 1970, batting .288 with 22 HR's and 97 RBI's.

7. Sid Fernandez--- Acquired from the Dodgers on December, 8 1993 for Carlos Diaz and Bob Bailor. He almost single-handedly preserved game 7 in the 1986 World Series when he made a relief appearance. He won 98 games in his 10-year career with the club and tallied a respectable 3.15 ERA. Most impressive, was probably his opponents' batting average during that time, which was .204. He also finished seventh in the NL Cy Young race in '86.

6. David Cone--- Acquired from the Kansas City Royals on March 27, 1987. Cone was dominant in his first stint with the club winning 80 games in just over five seasons with the club. Cone led the league in strikeouts in 1990-92. He also posted a 20-3 record in 1998 with a staggering 2.22 ERA, good for third in the NL Cy Young race and 10th in the MVP race.

5. John Olerud--- Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on December 20, 1996. 1998 was arguably his best year with the club, when he hit .354 with 22 HR's and 93 RBI's. Those stats enabled Olerud to finish 12th in the MVP race.

4. Ron Darling and Walt Terrell--- Acquired from the Texas Rangers on April 1, 1982. Darling won 99 games in his 8+ years with the team, including starting three games in the '86 series. Terell had two productive years for the club, ('83 and '84) then was traded for Howard Johnson in '85.

3. Gary Carter--- Acquired from the Montreal Expos on December 10, 1984. Carter was one of the leaders, with Hernandez, during the '86 title run. That year, he finished 3rd in the MVP race hitting 24 HR's and driving in 105 runs.

2. Mike Piazza--- Acquired from the Florida Marlins on May 22, 1998. Piazza became one of the most beloved Mets players of all-time during his time in Queens. His homerun at Shea Stadium the week after September 11th, was one of the most emotional ever hit in the game of baseball. In 2000, Piazza finished 3rd in the MVP race hitting .324 with 38 HR's and 113 RBI's.

1. Keith Hernandez--- "I'm Keith Hernandez." Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals on June 15, 1983. Was arguably the team captain during the '86 title run and became one of, if not the most, beloved Mets player ever. Hernandez finished second in the MVP race in 1984 batting .311 with 15 HR's and 94 RBI's after already winning the MVP in 1979 with the Cardinals.

Although it is too early to tell if Minaya's deals are worthy of this list, we will sure be watching to see if any of these past players get bumped for a new class of Mets' greats.

Player Profile- Angel Pagan

2008-02-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

A new face back in his original place. Angel Pagan was was drafted by the Mets in the 4th round the 1999 Amateur Draft at the age of 18. He was then purchased by the Cubs from the Mets organization in 2006 and now is back with the Mets here in 2008.

Pagan grew up in Puerto Rico and graduated from Republica de Columbia High School in 1999. After he was drafted, he attended he attended Interriver Community College in Ft. Pierce, Florida.

Last season, for the Cubs, Pagan appeared in 71 games and had 148 at-bats. He hit a respectable .264 as a switch hitter, hitting four homeruns and driving in 21 runs. However, his batting isn't what he is known best for. Pagan is an impressive fielder, racking up a blistering .964 fielding percentage in his career.

Pagan will compete for a reserve role with the team this year, but will most likely get about 157 at-bats with the club.

It Could've Been Us

2008-02-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

According to ESPN.com today, there is a report that Brian McNamee could've been a Mets coach in 2007. However, General Manager Omar Minaya decided against it.

Before the Roger Clemens steroid scandal came to, Mets manager Willy Randolph and hitting coach at the time Rick Down both supported the idea. However, when it was brought to Minaya, he was skeptical.

"I went to Willie and Willie went to Omar, and it was nixed," Down said Tuesday, according to the New York Post. "I think it was nixed because of the Tampa incident [in which McNamee was questioned by St. Petersburg police, but never charged, in connection with an alleged rape]. There really wasn't much further discussion on it. The Mets didn't want adverse publicity, and in retrospect they were right." (ESPN.com)

Minaya, in his time with the Mets, has made some blockbuster deals. This is one I think he would've regretted.

What about Queens Borough Memorial Stadium?

2008-02-25T12:28:00.001-08:00

Well, I guess it's official. Citi Field has a logo. Citi signed the naming rights back in 2006, when the stadium was just a model. Now in 2008, somewhat near it's completion, Citi Field is now fixture in the borough of Queens. The stadium will seat 45,000 and will look like a combination of the old Ebbets Field with a modern sense of technology.

One can only ponder some of the other names that were thrown around or rumored...

-Queens Borough Memorial Stadium
-Flushing Park
-Derek Jeter Sucks Stadium (No Joke)
-Larry Jones Field (If you don't get that reference, please don't read my blog anymore)
-Bill Buckner Memorial Field (I guess that one just went over their head or, right through their legs)
-Bobby Bonilla Ball Bark (What? It makes sense. Just say it real fast)

I guess we should be thankful for the name that we have.

Sunday Schmooz

2008-02-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is a play off of Steve Somers. However, I consider him to be one of the best in the business so that is why I am stealing this reference.

Anyway, This is the first of a weekly Sunday post that is meant to focus on unique Mets art pieces that are out there. So, here it goes...

Jose Reyes has developed a fairly recognizable face in baseball. But, who knew that it could turn in to such an expressive painting??? Well, it did, and it's all thanks to the art of James Fiorentino. His sense of realism and his passion for sports has led him to become one of the most widely recognizable sports artists in the world. His sports art focuses on individual player portraits, as well as, baseball card portraits. At 15 years old, he was the youngest artist to ever be featured in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

This 16 x 20 of Reyes sold for $2500! Suprised? Fiorentino sure wasn't. "My 16 x 20 commission work range from $2000-2500 while 11 x 14 are $800-$1200 and collages go up in price," He said.

Although athletes are used to this kind of "spotlight" process, Reyes was enthralled with Fiorentino's work. "He loved it so much that he wanted a copy. So, we made him a giclee (a reproduction) and he actually met up with my friend in NYC to pick it up during the season," Fiorentino added.

So, if you have a mintute, check out his incredible website at...

http://www.jamesfiorentino.com

2008 Projected Stats and Lineup

2008-02-23T15:10:00.001-08:00

These are the projected stats for the 2008 season, according to rotowire.com. The projected lineup is based off of a combination of last year and everything I have read either on-line or in the paper.

Before I post them, it needs to be made known that Johan Santana's projected stats were posted before he was traded to the Mets. Here they are...

STARTERS--- BA HR RBI R SB

1. SS- Jose Reyes--- .285 15 85 117 72

2. 2B- Louis Castillo--- .298 2 40 86 20

3. CF- Carlos Beltran--- .274 32 108 103 20

4. 3B- David Wright--- .318 33 109 105 27

5. 1B- Carlos Delgado--- .267 30 96 79 1

6. LF- Moises Alou--- .309 16 57 51 2

7. RF- Ryan Church--- .275 12 54 43 4

8. C- Brian Schneider--- .249 7 53 33 1

9. P-

RESERVES--- BA HR RBI R SB

Endy Chavez--- .292 2 24 29 7

Damion Easley--- .255 10 27 26 0

Ramon Castro--- .268 9 36 21 0

Ruben Gotay--- .261 6 35 36 4

Marlon Anderson--- .287 7 29 28 4

Anderson Hernandez--- .263 1 12 23 4

Angel Pagan--- .255 5 25 27 5

STARTING ROTATION--- W-L ERA K IP

1. Johan Santana--- 17-9 2.99 231 226

2. Pedro Martinez--- 10-6 3.55 135 132

3. John Maine--- 13-11 3.72 173 184

4. Oliver Perez--- 12-13 4.63 171 179

5. Orlando Hernandez--- 10-8 4.26 134 150

6. Mike Pelfrey--- 5-8 4.59 71 96

BULLPEN--- W-L ERA K SV IP

Billy Wagner--- 3-4 2.88 86 37 72

Aaron Heilman--- 6-6 3.30 74 2 90

Duaner Sanchez--- 3-2 3.51 31 1 41

Pedro Feliciano--- 4-3 2.95 55 1 61

Scott Schoeneweis --- 2-2 4.66 37 3 56

Jorge Sosa--- 8-8 4.77 74 0 118

Joe Smith--- 4-3 3.71 54 0 51

Matt Wise--- 3-4 3.98 41 0 52

Wild Thing Gets Wild Raise

2008-02-22T09:42:00.000-08:00

As most of you probably know, Oliver Perez arbitration hearing was today. He and his lawyers were asking and will receive $6.5 million this year rather than the $4.725 million the Mets were offering.

Perez had a nice season for the Mets last year finishing with a record of 15-10 with a 3.56 ERA. He also posted 174 strikeouts in 177 innings, both were his best since his superb season with the Pirates in 2004. In that season, he posted a 12-10 record with a blistering 2.99 ERA with 299 strikeouts in 196 innings pitched.

Perez is slated to be the Mets' fourth starter in the rotation this year behind Santana, Martinez and Maine.

Perez won his case after the Mets narrowly avoided arbitration talks with both P Pedro Feliciano and OF Ryan Church.

The 2008 New York Mets

2008-02-21T21:06:00.001-08:00

This is the official pre-launch to my New York Mets blog. Sometime next week, I will be posting projected stats for this season and discussing them. We will take it from there. Please feel free to comment on any of my postings. All I ask is that it stays professional. Thanks and until then...

BTW, if you see this and are a good writer and a mets fan or baseball fanatic, feel free to shoot me an e-mail at b.kahn@temple.edu.