The Butcher, the Baker, the People on the Street

How great was that very great catch?

2006-10-20T17:32:00.000-04:00

Most metropolitanized Metropolitan fans are no doubt licking their wounds. As a Red Sox fan, I promise you that I thirst for the blood of bison now -- I know what it's like to watch a team lose a game even after individual player heroics. Hopefully the enigma wrapped in a riddle that is Oliver Perez will build upon last night.

Let's get down to brass tacks here. How amazing was Endy Chavez's catch? Here's Slate on the snar:

So, when Endy Chávez caught that ball in the sixth inning, I thought of Mays and Hano. I Googled A Day in the Bleachers. I found that Hano is 84 years old, living in California, still watching baseball. I found his phone number and decided to call once the game was over. I was elated. And then the Mets lost the game and lost the series. The catch became known, at least to me, as that catch in the goddamn game where Heilman gave up a home run to Yadier freakin' Molina. Endy Chávez, suddenly, resumed being Endy Chávez.

I called Hano anyway, and he was home. He had watched the game, he said, though macular degeneration makes it harder for him to see the television. A charming man and a brisk talker, Hano tells me how lucky he feels to have witnessed some of baseball's greatest moments. He was at Dodger Stadium when Sandy Koufax threw his first no-hitter. In 1956, he won a limerick contest sponsored by Sears—rhyming "nation" with "sensation," he recalls—and got flown out to the World Series, where he watched Don Larsen throw a perfect game. And, in 1954, he decided to buy a bleacher seat at the Polo Grounds, a seat with a good view of Willie Mays.

So, I ask, what did you think of Endy Chávez's catch in the sixth inning?

"It was a great catch and a wonderful throw at a critical moment," Hano begins. "Unfortunately, it's a catch you see so often that it's almost a stereotype. [Jim] Edmonds makes it and [Mike] Cameron makes it and [Torii] Hunter makes it."

He explains that the great Mays backtracked to the 460-foot mark in the Polo Grounds. "He outran the ball, he caught it with his back to the stands, and he whirled to make the throw." When Chávez caught the ball, Hano says, he was 360 feet from home plate. "I don't want to downgrade this play, it was a marvelous play," he says. "It may be that the stands are a little closer today and therefore you can make that catch."

Besides, Hano adds, the Mets didn't win. "To that degree, there is a considerable difference." The long ball might have lost its romance, but it still wins games. Chávez's catch had already become a historical footnote. Hano and I talk baseball for a few more minutes—the catching Molina brothers, the new stadiums in Pittsburgh and San Diego, the epic badness of this year's National League—and then wish each other well. He will keep his catch, and I'll keep mine.

There is no denying that this catch was special. But Hano raises some interesting points. You see, these home-run robbing catches are now more common because of these home-run conducive ballparks.

Humpf.

You are what you eat...

2006-10-06T11:35:00.000-04:00

The diet-conscious Mr. Franco

Bloomberg News:

Oct. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Sitting in the Atlanta Braves clubhouse last season, first baseman Adam LaRoche was enjoying a candy bar when it was yanked out of his hands.

``You need to go get some tuna or egg whites,'' scolded then-teammate Julio Franco as he threw the treat into the garbage.

Franco, now a 48-year-old pinch hitter with the New York Mets, forsakes all sweets and unhealthy food. He's convinced that his all-natural diet, which includes eating as many as 20 egg whites for breakfast, is helping him toward his goal of being the oldest player ever to appear in Major League Baseball's World Series.

``They say you are what you eat, so you don't want to eat garbage,'' Franco says, confirming the candy incident recounted by LaRoche. ``I stay close to nature. Anything that nature produces, I eat. If nature didn't produce it, to me, it's not worth it.''

[...]

``The guy is just really old,'' Mets pitcher Tom Glavine, 40, says with a laugh. ``But he takes tremendous care of himself. Whenever I see him, he's always eating something healthy.''

[...]

``Some of the crap he eats is disgusting,'' LaRoche, 26, says.

Franco says it's just a matter of taste.

``If you buy an expensive wine, some people don't like it,'' he says. ``If you buy a $10 bottle of wine, some people love it.''

[...]

Franco may not have always had a healthy lifestyle.

``He was very talented and he knew it,'' says Pat Corrales, who managed Franco in Philadelphia and with the Cleveland Indians. ``He was cocky and arrogant.''

Franco led the American League with a .341 batting average in 1991 and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1990 All-Star Game.

While with Cleveland in 1985, Franco didn't show up for a game at Yankee Stadium. He didn't alert the team and later said he was sick and decided to sleep at a friend's house, which didn't have a telephone.

``He was just a young man who liked pretty girls and liked to have a beer every now and then,'' says Corrales, who was the Braves' bench coach the past eight seasons. ``He has settled down and grown to be quite a man. He deserves everything he gets now because he has earned it.''

One thing Franco may not get is a cake on his 50th birthday.

``He won't eat it,'' says Braves General Manager John Schuerholz. ``Not unless it's made of soybeans.''

Trouble in Gotham: The weird saga of a good-looking man

2006-09-20T15:05:00.000-04:00

MSNBC:

And one more tidbit that gives an odd insight into Rodriguez's personality and many concerns that his image is too important: When the Red Sox were in trade talks with the Texas Rangers for Rodriguez in 2003, Boston team executives visited the star at his New York hotel room suite at 1 a.m. Rodriguez answered the door in a suit with tie tight around his collar, Sports Illustrated reported.

So concludes the silly news service round-up of the recent ink-spill on the Majors' most expensive third-bagger.

I've always felt that someone wearing a finely pressed suit and greeting you in a hotel room at 1 a.m. is intrinsically good. Now, I must rethink that principle.

The New York Times recounts the inner-personal-emotional-feckless-athletic-grief experienced by the third-bagger:

The article details a meeting between Rodriguez and Torre that took place Aug. 24 in Seattle. Giambi prompted the meeting, according to the article, by telling Torre it was “time to stop coddling” Rodriguez.

“I basically said, ‘I know you’re hurting inside, because you know how much we’re counting on you, and we need you,’ ” Torre said Tuesday. “It was tough, in a certain way, but it was more in support of him.”

According to the article, Giambi had spoken to Torre because he sensed that Rodriguez was not being honest with himself about his slump.

Even the savage geeks at the Onion have assailed A-Rod:

NEW YORK—After suffering through much of the year with an aching heart, shattered self-image, and severely hurt feelings, Alex Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day emotionally disabled list, though the Yankee slugger did not rule out the possibility that the emotional wounds he has had to endure this season "may never truly heal."

Who knows what sort of Rink-Ankiel like breakdown is in A-Rod's future. Unlike any sport, baseball can break men. Prepare popcorn for A-Rod's at bats. Yes: Get your popcorn ready!

Happy Recap

2006-09-19T11:45:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, about 7:30 a.m., a diehard co-worker of mine and I were sitting in our office, talking about the sweep and the resultant prospect of clinching at home.

"Wonder if tickets are even available anymore," I mused, after reading sales had exceeded 40,000 minutes after the Bucs swept us aside Sunday afternoon, and the Phils did the same to the Astros.

We exchanged a brief glance. He logged onto mets.com and ten minutes later, we were planning our excuses to blow out of the office early with our freshly printed loge tickets.

After a lengthy drive, Metro North train ride, and 7 Train (Express, praise be to Allah) journey, we sat in our seats, all too aware of the pain and sleep deprivation we would be feeling the next day, but thrilled to be there regardless.

Thanks to Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose Valentin and Steve Trachsel, our greatest hope for the day was realized about 9:40 p.m., and total bedlam ensued. Complete strangers joyfully embraced, high-fived each other and danced like no one was watching as the boys celebrated in the locker room and, later, took the festivities back out onto the field with the fans.

The chants and cheers continued down the aisles, onto the exit ramps, and into the streets and subway platforms, with 18 years of waiting unleashed in minutes.

We did it.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Jose Valentin

Professor Reyes' Spanish Lesson: "Me gusta comer" = "I would like to eat"

Happy recap

2006-09-13T06:50:00.000-04:00

That's what I get for going to bed early!

The Metropolitans pulled out their first win in weeks after Carlos Delgado hit a three-run dong and Cliff Floyd followed that up with a two-run double. 6-1. Mets Win.

And the magic number is at 3, which frustrates me because the Mets will not win the division until at least Friday.

BBPOTS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Carlos Delgado

Recap

2006-09-12T07:21:00.000-04:00

I could barely hear the Metropolitans' blowout loss over David Ortiz' unintelligible whining.

Let's get it together here, guys. I know these games don't mean much to you, but I need shit to watch when football isn't on.

Double recap

2006-09-06T22:55:00.000-04:00

What a fine day to take two from the Bravos. And for the first time in history, one player will win two BBPOTS player of the game awards in one day.

Oh and Carlos Beltran played centerfield.

BBPOTS Players of the Game: Shawn Green and Shawn Green.

Happy Recaps

2006-09-06T21:20:00.000-04:00

A double-dip sweep of the hated Braves. Oh how sweet it is to defeat wife-beater Bobby Cox and his band of brigands. And what is it with rookies pitching shutouts. Let's hope Oliver Perez has a nicer run than Alay Soler, though he'll probably be sent down shortly...

BBPOTS Player of the 1 p.m. game: Shawn Green

BBPOTS Player of the 4 p.m. game: Oliver Perez

Rain out

2006-09-05T20:26:00.000-04:00

Back in the day, when we told you, loyal reader, that BBPOTS is a 'Connecticut and New Jersey Based Metropolitans Blog', we weren't lying. We told the truth. Was it newsworthy? Not really. But we're halfway moved into the neighborhood of the world's biggest Met fan, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has personally reserved us front row spots for the November world champions parade. Alas, term limits.
Anyway, this will, God willing, give us a chance to update our beloved site a little more.
Meanwhile, the Metsies were rained out tonight. They'll play two tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. Rest, Carlos. Rest.

Recap

2006-09-05T12:43:00.000-04:00

The flux is over, bitches.

Whew, well, it looks like Carlos Beltran is going to be OK, God be praised.

But even up 19 games or so, it still sucks to lose to the Braves, does it not?

Whatever, we're going to the series. They're not.

More recaps

2006-09-05T06:25:00.000-04:00

Whew. Let's hope Beltran is OK. I can endure a couple weeks of Endy Chavez in center if Carlos will be back on patrol come the postseason. And he only injured his leg making a spectacular, game-saving catch in left-centerfield of "Crooked E" park. We've dropped two straight, but who really cares at this point? True, we've gotten two hits in the last 18 innings, but by the end of the day the magic number may be in single digits. It's all about perspectives, people.

BBPOTS Player of the Game Saturday: Carlos Beltran

Happy Recap

2006-09-02T15:07:00.000-04:00

BBPOTS is still in the process of relocating to new digs on the Upper East Side. But we caught bits and pieces of the game last night, and what more can you say about David Allen Wright? After a long slump the kid is breaking out, just in time to get primed for our playoff run.

Glavine looked rough, but at least his season's not over. And Guillermo "Where's" Mota gets his first Metropolitans win, with Wagner providing a K to punctuate the save. Well done.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: David Wright

Quick update

2006-09-01T06:58:00.000-04:00

I know, we're the slowest movers ever. It's because we're not union. Also, what humidor? And Keith Hernandez was calling an umpire "patrician" last night. I'm pretty sure that's one of the seven seals...

Tuesday BBPOTS Player of the game: Carlos Beltran

Wednesday BBPOTS Player of the game: Jose Valentin

BBPOTS General Daps: David Allen Wright, for his recent resurgence

Happy Recap

2006-08-29T07:05:00.000-04:00

A thousand apologies, Metropolitans fans, for the lack of recent updates. I have been in the process of moving, and so is DocGooden'sCat, so BBPOTS is in a state of flux right now.

But the Mets keep rolling, dusting the Phils yesterday afternoon in the makeup of Sunday's rainout. Maine looked decent, two earned through 6+, and the bullpen held up, not withstanding a moon-shot Ryan Howard hit off Mota.

On the batting side, Jose Reyes slapped his 16th triple of the season, and Carlos "Big Diesel" Delgado had two hits--including a double--and two RBIs. And David Allen Wright showed some very welcome signs of improvement.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Carlos Delgado

Welcome, Sean Green

2006-08-23T22:45:00.000-04:00

Set your alarm clocks, Metropolitan fans. In just a few hours, Sean Green, the Metropolitans own young Jewish Marlon Brando, will land at LaGuardia, hours before taking the field as a Met for the first time.

Let's show him a good time, ladies and gentlemen.

Happy recap

2006-08-23T22:41:00.000-04:00

The most exciting team in beisbol made it a little more exciting than it should have been last night, as the Metropolitans raced out to a 10-2 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, then held off a late charge to win 8-2.

Jose Bernabe Reyes - please someone suggest that another player is more exciting to watch - belted a three-run dong and two singles to take player of the game honors.

BBPOTS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jose Reyes

The Back Pages

2006-08-23T15:15:00.000-04:00

Since we can only say so much about the Metropolitans' utter domination of all comers, the BBPOTS staff is proud to introduce a new feature to the site: The Back Pages.

Whenever a Mets story dominates sports coverage in the metropolitan era--a phenomenon that is becoming de rigeur among the New York tabs--we will show each back page and comment on the headlines of each, rewarding points accordingly.

No better story could begin this feature than the amazing comeback win last night, so here we go....

OK. Not bad. Or, in the words of DocGooden'sCat, "Yeah, you did, good job, get better." Overall not great, and here's why: The headline for the Glavine storyline is a good one, but with a win like they had last night, that's what you have to push. Newsday leads off with 1 point.

Just awful. But then again, could we expect much more from the New York tab owned by Rupert Murdoch? We'd give this negative points if not for the picture, which is superb. But "BOP & SWAP"?! We know the Post is reactionary, but liking this headline would bring us back to the '50s. 0 points.

This is just superb. The headline, the art, the sub-head, it's just the complete package. Not a surprise from the newspaper that on the same day hosts this superb column from Lisa Olson, in which she reminds us that Pedro "can find bliss in the bottom of a coffee cup." Indeed. 3 Points.

Happy Birthday

2006-08-23T11:43:00.000-04:00

Julio Cesar Franco, 1991 batting champ, three-time All-Star, and the oldest player to ever hit a home run in Major League Baseball, turns 48 today. Even with years in foreign leagues not counting, Julio is 78th all-time on baseball's career hit list. This morning on ESPN's "Cold Pizza," he vowed to still be playing at 50. Let's hope he'll be doing it in a Metropolitans uni...

Happy recap

2006-08-22T22:51:00.000-04:00

Good vibes were abundant the second you realized Bill Clinton, accompanied by his brother Roger, was in the stands at Shea tonight.

15 runs, a walk-off homerun by MVP lock-in-the-making Carlos Beltran and more bombs than an Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and I'm in bed by quarter to 10, this is how God intended baseball - not these 8 hour American League games. How can American League fans afford to set aside an entire workday to watch baseball every night? Don't they have things to do? I do not know. And could there be better timing for Carlos Delgado to break out of his slump?

With Sean Green coming on board and Tom Glavine on the way back to the hill in a week, only 2 questions remain: How many homers will Green hit in orange and blue? And will stoically patriotic Carlos Delgado go to the White House and shake hands with George Bush after we win the series?

BBPOTS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Carlos Beltran

BBPOTS DAPS: Carlos Delgado

BBPOTS METS FAN OF THE WEEK: Bill Clinton, 42nd president of the United States.

Redbirds preview

2006-08-22T16:04:00.000-04:00

Starting tonight, the Metropolitans welcome the St. Louis Cardinals, helmed by the biggest overmanager in baseball, Tony La Russa.

The same Tony La Russa who, in a game against the Cubs Saturday, with the score tied in the top of the 9th and the bases loaded, pinch hit Juan Encarnacion for Chris Duncan, who was 2 for 4 and batting .345 this season, and undoubtedly the hottest hitter on his team. Encarnacion promptly struck out, and the Cubs won the game in the next inning.

La Russa is also the manager who, according to Buzz Bissinger's book "Three Nights in August," considered starting Albert Pujols with a career-threatening injury with the caveat that he not throw the ball while playing left field.

This could be piling on, but La Russa also ordered Larry Walker to sacrifice bunt in the first inning of game four of the 2004 World Series. Walker--who in the series hit .357 and slugged .929 with two homers--did the task, but gave the Red Sox an out that got them out of the inning without a run scoring.

And do I even need to get into his BATTING THE PITCHER IN THE 8 SPOT?!

Really, the cult of La Russa is something that has always disturbed me in baseball. With all the talent this guy has managed, with three World Series appearances during his stretch, you'd think he'd be able to skipper a squad to a better Fall Classic record than 1-12. Here's to the Mets pushing his shit in the next three days.

Good news: Sources say...

2006-08-22T13:04:00.000-04:00

that Manny Ramirez is about to become the new right fielder of the New York Mets.

I'm just fucking with you.

Actually, there is good news: Tom 'The Old Goat' Glavine will be on the mound again in a week, according to Rupert Murdoch's New York-based publication and Buster Whats His Name at ESPN.

Onward!

Savage legacy of defeat

2006-08-21T17:30:00.000-04:00

The Boston Red Sox must be frantically packing their bags to leave town. They have a nine-game West coast jaunt to foul up, and I am certain none of them want to spend any more time in Boston.

They have embarrassed a city and are in danger of being supplanted by the Boston Celtics or the Lowell Spinners. As a culture, Bostonians are going to need some time in the slow-lane after this long, long weekend. Few expected a glorious triumph with the Pinstripes as the freaks in chains, but no one could imagine that a team with a payroll stretching to nine digits would blow five games with such excess of ignomy and shame.

That is what really stings for newly assertive Bostonians. For a very long time, the Red Sox and their fans were the dunderhead little brother to the vaunted New York Yankees. There were snide comments about report cards, performance in Little League games of yore, and bodily odors. It was tradition for Boston to fold late in the year, or perhaps late in game seven of the ALCS in 2003.

Then there was 2004. Sure, it'd great to see your team win the championship. But, the Boston Red Sox did something far more psychologically gratifying for their fanbase: they smote the Yankees. New York collapsed in four consecutive demonstrations of human failings. Misery descended on the formerly blessed. It was like resentiment unbound and hurled, in four games, onto the powerful class. It was beautiful.

From that moment on, so it seemed, New Yorkers and Bostonians would have to acknowledge a common baseline of respect and decency. In the asymmetric campaign that is free agency baseball, simple numerical comparisons do not tell the entire story. Yes, the Yankees have a storied and glorious past. But, they collapsed. All was equal. Both teams were mortal and flawed.

Then this. The Boston Red Sox have been playing poorly throughout August. They lost a series to the Devil Rays and were swept by the Cursed Kansas City Royals. Now, they've returned a cloud of shame and dishonor that had been vanquished for almost two years. The myth needs to be rendered once again. The Yankees had a lapse in 2004. They have reclaimed their big brother status.

Monday

2006-08-21T06:45:00.000-04:00

Ouch. All the gloating that Red Sox fans did earlier in the season is coming back to haunt them, as Jason Giambi proved to be a more effective overweight designated hitter last night than David Ortiz.
Like hearing Jackson Browne perform 'Running on Empty', there's something eerily familiar and sleep inducing about watching these games.

Where's Mota?

2006-08-20T18:04:00.000-04:00

Well, of course, he's the New York Metropolitans' latest project. Move over Oliver Perez.

Among Perez, Brian Bannister and Mike Pelfrey, I don't know whether to sit on the edge of my seat or hide under it.

Hernandez Watch

2006-08-20T17:51:00.000-04:00

Today Keith:

-Followed up a dramatic story by Gary Cohen about how a Rockies' relief pitcher was once cut by his high school team and worked at Chuck E. Cheese, dressing up as a human-sized mouse. Remarking that he had never been to a Chuck E. Cheese and would never go to one, he listened in shock as Ron Darling described the loud and toddlerish happenings there. Keith was speechless.
-Addressing crestfallen Mets fans disappointed by the team losing three of four in Philadelphia, Keith urged them to 'get your heads out of the oven!' I really hope he was alluding to the fact that Mets fans, indeed, do love Ellio's pizza and nothing else here.

Sunday night

2006-08-20T17:39:00.000-04:00

If you're reading this, of course you've already watched the Metropolitans sweep the Rockies today. But what to watch tonight as you iron your Monday pants for work tomorrow?
The always interesting Yankees-Red Sox series is on tv again tonight, with the two sides taking each other on for what must be the 54th time this year.
And the good news is, dear Yankee fans, you can watch tonight's action without having to hear the moron drone of Michael Kay, as the game is on ESPN. I heard the man declare during Thursday's day game that Derek Jeter was the leading candidate for this year's AL MVP award. Of course Jeter is having a great year, but that statement is just propaganda and nothing else, unless Kay is unaware that baseball teams still do play in America's upper Midwest.
Now, I know it's tough to root for the Yankees, but is it preferable to root for Curt 'I-joined-the-born-again-Christian-religious-cult-and-god-made-me-win-game-six-by-drawing-blood-on-my-sock-and-therefore-I'll-give-you-unsolicited-advice-on-who-to-vote-for-all-while-I-tell-you-how-much-charity-work-I-do-despite-the-fact-that-nearly-every-player-in-Major League Baseball-does-charity-work-I-am-by-far-the-most-annoying-player-in-sports' Schilling? This is a tough call.

Recap

2006-08-20T17:28:00.000-04:00

Impending doom was the mood at Shea today, as the vintage uniform wearing Metropolitans swept the hapless Rockies despsite playing with fingers crossed for the health of Tom Glavine.

I'm no expert on Glavine's 'cold finger condition', but I know one thing: blood clots are bad. I'd pay all the money in my Banco Popular account to make sure the Old Goat is OK through the Mets' inescapable World Series run.

And what a game for El Duque, now the team's de facto ace along with John Maine. Seven scoreless innings, a clean base hit, a bunt for a base hit, a stolen base. The birth certificates are clearly wrong. He's obviously no older than 29.

And Carlos y Carlos esta muy guapo, both hitting solo homers for the Metsies today.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Orlando Hernandez.

And more

2006-08-16T15:05:00.000-04:00

Also, they broke ground on the new Yankee Stadium today. Frankly, I'm indifferent.
But it does make me look forward to the new Jackie Robinson Stadium in Queens, which, unlike this new monstrosity in the Bronx, will be a force for good in the world, tracing its heritage back to the man who broke baseball's color barrier.
A few decades from now, young Yankee fans, the few that are left, will hang their heads, wondering what happened to their once proud franchise that hasn't won a championship since 2000. Some will lament the tearing down of the House that Ruth Built and blame their curse on demolition crews - which will have no basis in fact.
Everyone knows that the Yankees disgraced themselves in late 2001, when, against their better judgment, they utterly refused to wear NYPD or FDNY hats in favor of selfishly wearing their own caps. That's the reason they wont win another big one for a few decades - because they're classless! And the baseball gods, if nothing else, hate assholes.

Recap

2006-08-16T15:04:00.000-04:00

Getting our shit pushed in by the Phillies felt so good on Monday night, that the Metropolitans decided to do it again yesterday, getting crushed 11-4. No reason to panic yet. Back in the day I was a big fan of the now disgraced Michigan Wolverine basketball squads. Every February, they'd lose a few games down the stretch to the bewilderment of Brent Musberger. They were bored. And now we're bored. Let's let the Phils gain some measure of dignity so they don't bother to play well anytime soon, ok?
Jose Reyes...Oooh wee!

BBPOTS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jose Reyes

Recap addendum

2006-08-14T22:28:00.000-04:00

Well, except in the minds of a few thousand cheese-eating Philadelphians, tonight never happened.
Let's all just cross our fingers that Pedro's injury isn't more serious.

And likewise for Cliff Floyd, especially considering these new Sean Green rumours.

But Lastings Milledge did have a double, did he not?

Recap

2006-08-14T22:23:00.000-04:00

Well, there is no joy in Metropolitansville tonight. Pick up your cell phones, Mets fans. You'll probably notice a new voicemail. Yes, that annoying Philadelphian you knew in college called tonight, to rub in his team's victory as if the Eagles had brought home a Super Bowl.

Take it in stride. Yes, Pedro is "day to day" and gave up 6 runs in one inning of work tonight. Yes, we lost by 13 runs. Yes, Shane Victorino hit a home run.

But we will rise again, comrades, and snuff out once and for all the stink of schadenfreude anyone driving through southeastern Pennsylvania in late summer perenially feels as the hapless Phillies fans bray as others feel just a fraction of the soul-crushing misery they endure their entire lives.

Happy Recap

2006-08-11T19:19:00.000-04:00

What's that sweeping noise?

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Jose Reyes

Happy Recap

2006-08-10T06:47:00.000-04:00

Pedro was so sharp last night, he could even afford to groove two pitches to Michael Vincent Piazza to hit out of the park and send the crowd home even happier. And though Billy gave up a tape measure shot to Barfield in the ninth, the result was never in doubt.

Onward.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Pedro Martinez

Happy Recap

2006-08-09T05:46:00.000-04:00

David Allen Wright had two run-scoring hits, including the winning run. Trach was serviceable. The bullpen was at time nervous but solid. And Wagner closed the door.

But the highlest was undoubtedly the ovation the Flushing Faithful showed to Michael Vincent Piazza. Breathtaking. The class of New York.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: David Wright

"I just want to play baseball"

2006-08-08T13:43:00.000-04:00

Ricky Ledee has been claimed by the Metropolitans. Ledee has had 53 at bats this season, pounding eight whole RBIssssssss. In the past seven days, ten Major Leaguers have had eight or more RBIs.

Piazza's back

2006-08-08T06:55:00.000-04:00

Michael Vincent Piazza returns to Shea tonight. Please, guys, let's not boo the guy or refer to his alledged, uh, you know, 'Jeter problem."

2006-08-07T22:51:00.000-04:00

On a number of things:

*The bad news is: Paul LoDuca allegedly cheats on his wife. The good news is: Paul LoDuca cheats on his wife. When rumors surfaced that there was something wrong with Paulie, I stopped eating. He's a wonderful team leader, the best team leader behind the plate since Gary Edmund Carter, and to lose him would be tragic.
Of course, Michael Vincent Piazza was a great offensive catcher, as was Todd Eldrick Hundley for a year or two when he wasn't sneaking cigarettes in the clubhouse. But Piazza had about as much interest in being a team leader as Roger Cedeno did, and we're a better team this year without him.

*It's incredible how much better baseball uniforms look now than even ten years ago. Most teams have classy, good looking uniforms. We're not one of those teams.
The black uniforms were interesting in 1999, but they've run their course like teriyaki through Mo Vaughn. That goes for both the home and away black unis. There's only one team in the majors that looks good in black: the Chicago White Sox.
Both the away grays and the home plain whites are great Metropolitan uniforms - and I'll even compromise and say the occasional black hat looks good - although nowhere near as good as the classic blue hat. This may be blasphemy, but I've never really been a fan of the home pinstriped uniforms.

*Speaking of teams that look good in black, Big Ben is throwing well and doesn't look much like a muppet, Happy Heinz has stepped up into the void to become the unofficial team captain, Santoio Holmes hasn't been arrested lately and holy shit are Duce Staley's arms big. What I'm putting money on being William Laird Cowher's last year as head coach is shaping up to be an eventful one.

*And Steve Phillips just suggested that Ryan Howard is the NL MVP. I gotta go shit.

$55 million buys a lot of peanuts

2006-08-07T12:36:00.000-04:00

There is a man, a certain man,
And for the Mets you can be sure that he'll do all he can!
Who is this one? This favorite son?
Who by his actions has our pennant rivals on the run?
Who chokes and pokes, enjoys a joke, and always comes through in the clutch and never ever chokes?
With wealth and fame, he's still the same!
I'll bet you five there's not a man alive who doesn't know his sight!
With all his might, he's David Wright, he's Mr. Wright!
He doesn't like that mister he likes good old David Wright!

From the business page

2006-08-06T23:39:00.000-04:00

The Metropolitans' two brightest, most flowering, young men - Jose Barnabe Reyes and David Allen Wright - were signed to long term contracts through 2010 and 2013, respectively, thus ensuring numerous championships in the next decade as well as less single-digit numbers being worn by future Mets.
Good thing Jackie Robinson Park will have some extra space for retired numbers!

REYES
7

WRIGHT
5

Our pick

2006-08-06T23:37:00.000-04:00

NB: BBPOTS will not be endorsing a candidate for the Connecticut U.S. Senate Democratic primary between U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., and wealthy Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont. We do, however, urge all registered and right thinking Connecticutians to go to the polls on numerous substances on Tuesday.

Recap

2006-08-06T23:17:00.000-04:00

What's wrong with Captain Red Ass? We still don't know. What we do know is that Jose Barnabe Reyes is quickly becoming a leadoff hitter with some pop like everyone envisioned, smacking a grand tube steak in an 8-1 Metropolitan win over the hated Philadelphia side.

And John "Remember The" Maine pitched brilliantly, temporarily quieting talk of the need for another starter.

BBPOTS Players of the game: David Allen Wright (Saturday) and Jose Barnabe Reyes (Sunday).

BBPOTS Mets Fan of the Week: Christian Devi Brando

BBPOTS Generalization of the Day: "People from Philadelphia are all assholes. They deserve losing sports teams."

uh oh!

2006-08-06T17:27:00.000-04:00

What's wrong with unofficial team captain Paul LoDuca? He won't say, but he's sworn off reporters for the rest of the year.
Is he gay? Did his cat , Mr. Squirmies, die? Is it true he called back-up Ramon Castro a 'fat dancer'?
I guess we'll all have to stay tuned.

An Inconvenient Truth

2006-08-04T13:17:00.000-04:00

Everyday, I listen to idiotic New York sports fans on my drive to work. That imbecile, Joe Benigno -- a former idiotic New York sports fan himself before becoming an idiotic New York sports broadcaster after winning some contest or something -- fields dozens of phone calls from Mets fans.

"This is the year," they say.

"Will the Mets sell replica versions of the 2006 World Series Championship ring?," they ponder.

"Good thing the NL lost the All-Star game, we'll sweep and win it at home," they announce.

"Will Carlos Beltran marry me?," they ask.

But there is a problem. It's a very real problem, one that Mets fans already doing the scouting on the Detroit Tigers rotation are refusing to acknowledge.

The problem, Mets fans, is this man.

Thomas Michael Glavine.

Glavine, the Mets' "ace," is 40 years old. Despite a very solid start, he's lost a fair amount of luster since June, typical of an aging pitcher who's struggling to keep up with baseball's rigorous schedule. At 11-4, his decent win/loss record only obscures the cold, hard facts. He's got an ERA that has become perilously close to 4.00 and is a .500 pitcher since July 15. He's getting tired. His arm is getting sore. Being 40, you can't blame the guy. He's been playing professional baseball for 19 years.

So, let's play the Mets' favorite game: counting chickens before they've hatched.

Let's say that the Mets do win the National League East. This may be surprising or even confusing to some Mets fans who haven't seen the post-season in so long, but the MLB playoff structure is a curious thing. Before the NLCS, the Mets will have to play a five game series. Let's say, as an example, they'll play against the league's Wild Card team, and let's go ahead and say that team is the suddenly-surging Los Angeles Dodgers.

Presumably -- maybe a Mets' fan's favorite word -- the Metropolitan's starting rotation would begin with Glavine, Martinez, Hernandez.

Let's continue to say, as an example, that the 40-year-old Tom Glavine, despite a lot of rest down the stretch, has a bad outing. It's not that much of a stretch, considering Glavine's last post-season outing.

Let me jog your memory. The year is 2002, and the Atlanta Braves faced the pill-popping San Francisco Giants in the first round of the playoffs. Glavine, being the Braves' ace, starts Game One.

Things didn't go very well for Tom. He gets rocked for six runs in five innings and costs the Braves the game, 8-5. But the Braves win the next two games, and Glavine has a chance to redeem himself by starting Game Four with a chance to put the series away.

This time, Glavine gets positively torched. He manages just 2.2 innings pitched, gives up seven runs on seven hits. The Braves lose the game, 8-3, and go on to lose the series.

On that chilly October night in San Francisco, Glavine is a relatively young 36 years old.

So, let's say the Mets make it to a five game series against the Dodgers. Let's say, hypothetically, that Glavine has a bad start for Game One. Pedro's sore hip flairs up for Game Two, and the Mets lose a heartbreaker at Shea.

On the flight to Los Angeles that night, Willie Randolph might have trouble falling to sleep. His entire season -- the Mets' dream season, the 20 year anniversary of 1986, the year where everything was supposed to work out -- relies completely on the arm of Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez, a man that might be 45 years old.

All those Mets fans suddenly forget all the scouting they did on the Santana, Ortiz and Wang.

They're about to get swept out of the first round.

Things look good now for the Mets, no question. But five game series are crazy things. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Yankees' stretch of four World Championships in five years isn't the World Series victories themselves but the fact they managed to even make it that far.

Any team can get knocked out of a five game series.

Any team.

Don't count your Manhattan victory parades before they've hatched.

Recap

2006-08-04T05:48:00.000-04:00

Again, Aaron Bleeping Heilman.

We left seven on base throughout the course of the game, and had three rally-killing double plays.

But Pedro was Pedro, and that has to make one feel a little better. And let's not forget we went 4-2 on this little road trip.

Now, to shut down Chase Utley's little streak.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Pedro Martinez

Amnesty

2006-08-02T22:44:00.000-04:00

A scene from the 2006 MLB Winter Meetings:

George Steinbrenner: “I ain’t got no motherfuckin’ friends!”

Fred Wilpon: “That’s why I fucked your wife, you fat motherfucker!”

We’re a forgiving bunch here at BBPOTS, and that’s why we, speaking on behalf of all Metropolitans fans and all bright flowing young men of our generation, are going to offer Yankee fan of the world a deal. Seriously.

We know there’s some good in all people everywhere, and that’s why we’re giving you the chance of a lifetime: become Mets fans.

We won’t hold your past against you. We’ll even give you the names of a few Mets bars you can hang out and feel like one of the guys, which would be a first experience for you as a baseball fan, I can assume.

Think of the benefits: The better team, the better announcers, the better new stadium in a few years, the better uniforms (the pinstripes look like little kid pajamas, they do and you know it), the better manager, the better leadoff hitter, the better catcher, the better centerfielder, the better second baseman, the better shortstop, and easily the better third baseman in the clutch (don’t even try to argue this one guys). We’ve also got an overpaid former superstar pitcher who actually has a personality.

And the best part…if you go anywhere with anything other than a Yankee hat on, people might actually think you’ve watched a baseball game before!

I know, I know. Tradition. But that argument ended the first time a dancing mustard bottle became tween-inning entertainment at Yankee Stadium.

Tradition is great. That’s why I have a big black and white TV in my living room, because tradition is grand, that’s why I take my horse and buggy to work every day. Bottom line: the Yankees have had a few great runs. But the shit is over. Well over. And you should either take this chance to jump on board the winning team for the next decade, or, well, you know, keep doing whatever it is you’re doing.

This theoretical, subway series argument is fun, but it’s meaningless. With that fat fuck/greatest clutch player in 30 years in your division, you’re just fucked. You’re not even gonna make the playoffs.

And that’s the best part about being a Mets fan, as opposed to lower forms of life, we get some relaxation in in the next few months. We’ve got all the time in the world. You don’t.

Happy Recap

2006-08-02T22:39:00.000-04:00

Any man can be an artist. At, uh, food...whatever. It all depends on how good he is. Billy Wagner's art is closing games. He's about to paint his masterpiece.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Billy Wagner

Ring up, Pelfrey down

2006-08-02T16:32:00.000-04:00

WFAN's Ed Coleman says the Metropolitans sent down Mike Pelfrey to AAA, bringing up Royce Ring to the show.

It'll be interesting to see how Ring can perform in the bigs, and Pelfrey clearly needs some more seasoning, especially because we'll probably see him later this season...

Don't mind my brother, he says lots of things

2006-08-02T15:38:00.000-04:00

If all sports fans were a family, Mets fans would be the annoying kid brother. Every one of them feels like they have something to prove, and they do, but have no idea how to go about doing it. Most of their attempts come out in the form of lauding even the most minor accomplishments of their team like, say, having the best record in the National League this year. They also tend to do this in public forums like, say, starting a blog.

Now the arguments put forth by said fans generally aren't very deep and tend to have a very "Oh yeah, well your franchise players are gay" kind of feel to them. Not that Mets fans don't have a long standing history of gay All-Stars (Piazza anyone? or Hernandez?), so I guess if anybody could spot one...

Recap

2006-08-01T21:58:00.000-04:00

Let me guess: Josh Willingham works out with Billy Wagner in the off-season.

Despite the outcome, some positives. Beltran stays hot with a two-run bomb in the third, Reyes had a 411-foot home run and a triple, Lo Duca goes 3-for-5, and Milledge drew three walks. Pelfrey wasn't brilliant, with four earned runs in six innings, but at times he was dealing. He's a rookie...what do you expect, grace and consistency?

This shit just happens sometimes, Metropolitans fans. Chins up.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Jose Reyes

Driven...by unbridled gayness

2006-08-01T18:31:00.000-04:00

From the Associated Press...

New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter holds a bottle of his new fragrance called Driven Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006 in New York. The fragrance will be available from Avon this November.
"I have been very involved with creating this fragrance -- everything from the blend of scents to the design of the bottle and logo," Jeter said in a news release.
The fragrance is a blend of chilled grapefruit, clean oak moss and spice.

Just another reason why Jeter is, and always will be, the gayest shortstop in baseball. My God.

Duaner

2006-08-01T17:59:00.000-04:00

Ed Coleman, appearing on WFAN, says that Duaner Sanchez is undergoing surgery right now on his shoulder. In addition to it being separated, Coleman alluded to ligament and tendon damage.

This makes him definitively out for the season.

Go Beto.

Deadline Wrap

2006-07-31T21:40:00.000-04:00

Given Sanchez's injury, the Metropolitans ended today in a lot better situation than they could have. Beto Hernandez can be a question mark, yes, but we needed an arm and we got one, only having to give up the 7th man in the league's most productive offense.

The upside on Perez is big, and he's a big question mark too, but we likely won't be seeing him until at least next year.

The most immediate question in need of answering is whether Lastings Milledge will be able to have any impact on the team down the stretch; whether we like the answer or not, we'll get one come October. Endy Chavez will share time as well, but I think something that is worth mentioning is the mentoring Cliff Floyd can provide to Milledge as the season draws to a close.

We've seen that Milledge, like Jose Reyes did when he came up, needs major adjustment to a major league strike zone. But David Wright credited Floyd with helping him adjust to the majors, and since Cliff being out was the reason Milledge got his cup of coffee earlier this season and didn't have any experience playing with him day-to-day, it'll be interesting to see if he can rein in Lastings' much-maligned exuberance.

Or maybe they'll just hate each other.

Omar on WFAN

2006-07-31T18:08:00.000-04:00

Omar did a brief spot with Chris Russo on WFAN, not much light shed on the day, but for what it's worth...

Hernandez was being looked at even before the Sanchez injury, apparently.

"Yesterday was a day where we thought we might have been close" to acquiring a big pitcher, but not today. Omar wouldn't name anyone because they're on other teams and he can't comment on players on other teams. He wouldn't comment on Linebrink either.

The Pirates did not know about the Sanchez injury when the Hernandez/Perez deal was made. The deal was done about 2 p.m., he says, and the first reports on Sanchez weren't out until about 3:30.

Milledge will be called up, but possible platooning arrangements have not been determined yet...

Oh shit...

2006-07-31T15:13:00.000-04:00

No wonder we want Lidge:

Duaner Sanchez is out for the year with a separated pitching shoulder, FOXSports.com has learned.

This is not good news, Metrpolitans fans. Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick...

3:13 p.m. edit...

More from Rotoworld:

ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Mets could be close to getting Oliver Perez and Roberto Hernandez from the Pirates.

No word yet on what would go back. The Mets wouldn't want to give up Lastings Milledge for those two, but it's hard to see how they could do it without surrendering Aaron Heilman.

Also, more from Roto on Sanchez:

Tom Glavine flashbacks, only far worse. Sanchez apparently was injured while riding as a passenger in a taxicab that was involved in a car accident Sunday night after the Mets landed in Miami. The Mets might now have to overpay to land some relief help. If Brad Lidge isn't a possibility, Roberto Hernandez and Joe Borowski could be. Aaron Heilman probably can't go anywhere now.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrghh

3:24 p.m. edit, from Rotoworld:

SI.com is reporting that the Mets have traded Xavier Nady to the Pirates from Oliver Perez and Roberto Hernandez.

That can't be it, unless Dave Littlefield is an even worse GM than we throught. Nady is no more than an average corner outfielder offensively and he's below average defensively. He's not at all a building block, and he certainly isn't worth Perez's potential. The Mets might now trade for a corner outfielder to share time with Endy Chavez.

I'd take it, but it's still unconfirmed.

DocGooden'sCat's take: "You're trading your 7 or 8 hitter for a starter and a somewhat quality reliever you desperately need right now. So all in all, I think it might be a good move."

3:43 p.m. edit, God bless Rotoworld:

The Mets could seek to move Oliver Perez to a third team after getting him from the Pirates for Xavier Nady, according to CBS.SportsLine.com.

The Mets are talking with San Diego about a deal in which they would trade Perez and Heath Bell to the Padres for Scott Linebrink. That'd be a clear downgrade for the Padres in the short-term. Perez would make more sense for a non-contender since he's unlikely to help out this year.

Now that would make things really interesting.

4 p.m. edit, Cerrone at Metsblog is reporting the Linebrink deal is done....

4:32 p.m. edit, Chris Russo says WFAN talked to Horowitz, who said the Mets are "done for the day" WITHOUT Linebrink?

4:38 p.m. Cerrone:

…the buzz from the weston hotel has the mets not sending RHP Heath Bell and LHP Oliver Perez to the padres for RHP Scott Linebrink…

…a few posts ago, i wrote that the team planned to make such a deal…a few moments later, CBS Sportsline and ESPN News began reporting that the deal was done…

I think ?!?!?! pretty much sums it up at this point.

5:22 p.m. edit, Cerrone says reporting the Linebrink deal was "premature" and that it was "yanked off the table" before being completed.

Omar will be on WFAN today before 6:30, more to follow...

Whaaa?

2006-07-31T12:39:00.000-04:00

From Rotoworld:

The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice reports that Astros owner Drayton McLane has ordered GM Tim Purpura to trade Brad Lidge.

The Rangers are the team getting mentioned in connection with Lidge, but if he has to go, there will be more interested parties, starting with the Mets and Red Sox. The Astros could turn over closing duties to Dan Wheeler if they move Lidge.

Interesting...

Requiem for the Braves

2006-07-30T20:37:00.000-04:00

Today, for the first time since 1979, the Metropolitans swept a three-game series from the Braves in Atlanta. Today, with his third grand slam of July and a solo job in the fifth from the other side of the dish, Carlos Beltran set the team record for home runs by a centerfielder. Today, the every Flushing starter hit safely, and our 19 hits for the game were the most we've had all season. Today, the Braves--who made a flurry of now-irrelevant trade deadline deals last week and into this weekend--were left for dead in the NL East for the first time in a decade and a half.

Sure, there were minuses for the Mets: Tom Glavine, it seems, hasn't thrown a decent start since before the All-Star break. OK, well that's the only minus I took away today.

Besides the Old Goat's falters, we looked like a team determined to exorcise ghosts this entire weekend, and we did just that, with aplomb. Beltran made a personal statement, it seemed, with 12 RBIs and 4 home runs in the series, in the process playing himself into the MVP race not only for the team this year, but also the National League.

So sleep well tonight, Mets fans. Get plenty of rest. We'll all need that energy come October.

BBPOTS Player of the Game Saturday: Carlos Beltran

BBPOTS Player of the Game Sunday: Carlos Beltran

Triumvirate watch

2006-07-30T18:30:00.000-04:00

Keith and Gary were at the top of their games this weekend.

Here’s some brilliance.

*Friday night, Keith said he had been to the Daytona 500 a few years back and hadn’t been to a NASCAR race since. Gary couldn’t seem to figure out why anyone would pay to watch people drive in circles for hours while only making left turns under deafening noise. I don’t know either. Actually, I do. Let’s face it, southerners are just dumb. Fuck them.

*Gary pointed out that the Braves are the third most popular sports interest in the region, behind football and NASCAR. It figures. These people suck at life. They’d all be homeless if it wasn’t for Jimmy Carter and his trusty hammer, too.

*Keith rightly pointed out that kids don’t come up through the minors being taught to use level swings anymore. There’s a lot of ballyhoo about little-leaguer friendly ballparks in the AL and ballplayers being bigger and stronger, natural or not. Keith’s point is often overlooked though, and this kind of insight is why Mayor Bloomberg has a portrait of Keith over his dinner table.

*Gary pointed out that Mark McGwire is up for the hall next year. Hopefully he’ll withdraw his name. Keith argued that the andro McGwire was using was totally legal, which is true. But then Keith rightly stopped arguing.

*‘They have a name for everything these days,’ said Keith, commenting on a Adam LaRouche’s ADD. I agree completely. If Bobby Cox can’t free his hands long enough to get his players to man up and play baseball, they deserve to be less popular than grown men in pajamas driving in circles.

*Keith was right on the money, saying Jose Reyes runs out every ground ball. It’s true. He does. While Yankee fans are wont to try to apply Keegan-esque ‘no dancing’ policies to keep The Boss alive on his death bed, Mighty Mex’s perspective is the right one. Go watch your third baseman kick the ball around.

*The Braves play ‘Thank God I’m a Country Boy’ during the seventh inning stretch. SNY cameras immediately caught thousands of family members at Turner Field making out with each other.

N.B: Some bloggers like to refer to Keith as ‘Mex.’ I don’t. not only is it insensitive to the brave men and women who defy southern hatemongers to cross the Rio Grande, but I believe it was Chi Chi Rodriguez’ nickname first. Oh, speaking of Chi Chi…

BBPOTS METS FAN OF THE WEEK: Chi Chi Rodriguez

Happy Recap

2006-07-30T18:11:00.000-04:00

I remember that save Armando Benitez blew in a late summer game to the D-Backs four years ago. A Benitez blown save was pretty routine then, but that one moment propelled the Metropolitans on down the road to irrelevance for a few years.

Well, Braves fans finally have such a moment of their own to relish, as a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play sealed a Mets sweep today in Atlanta. Boom. Just like that, it was all over – the ninth inning, the series and the season. Up 15 and a half games, the long reign of Atlanta atop the NL East is over, and the world will be better for it. But what do Braves fans care, they’re southerners, and thus used to irrelevance.

Across Queens, the scene was euphoric, cabbies stopped driving and leapt atop their yellow cars. Fireworks were shot off. Partisans shouted anti-braves slogans. Mets fans in long-persecuted Lebanon even celebrated by taking baseball bats and firesticks to regional headquarters of the UN, Ted Turner’s favorite charity.

Another division title has been a long time coming, so let’s just keep an eye on the magic number counter, cause when it hits 1, that’s the next meaningful game we’re gonna play for a long time.

Let’s be very clear: The Braves shitting themselves like a 2-year-old with food poisoning is good for baseball. These ‘people’ propelled George Bush into the White House and are thus responsible for the deaths of more than 2,000 brave men and women in Iraq for no reason whatsoever. These are the enablers of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. They listen to country music and they’re the reason the world hates us. They’re NASCAR fans, and have some shitty food.

But don’t worry. If they had any teeth, we just knocked them out.

How sweep it is!

2006-07-30T16:51:00.000-04:00

Carthago delenda est.

Happy Recap

2006-07-29T10:01:00.000-04:00

Last night, the Braves felt so down, because we turned them off, and they felt left out. We don't care no more, we walked out that door, right into a commanding lead in the division.

And believe me, when Pedro slumped into the dugout after giving up four runs in the first, things did not look good. But little would we know that a hit by Lawrence Jones in the third--perhaps the last hit of his for awhile after he re-injured his oblique muscle later in the game--would be the Braves last hit of the game, with even Billy Wagner looking pretty untouchable in the 9th.

The Metropolitans did what they always do, scraped some runs together, first with a Jose Reyes leadoff homer in the first, with the usual suspects, most notably David Allen Wright, chipping in later in the game. Hell, even Pedro lined a double down the line in the second and later came in to score.

Put simply, tonight was a statement game. And for all the Braves' bloviating about how they've won the division 14 straight years, it's all falling apart for Bobby "I beat my wife" Cox and his band of hooligans.

Seriously: in any other season, the bottom of the first would have been sayonara for the Mets, and it would have been the Braves to come in and close the door. But this year, my friends, the tide has turned to the favor of the good guys who wear the orange and blue, and we're going to ride it all the way to the pennant!

Also, any time that has a pre-game parade of NASCAR racers on the field deserves to lose.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Pedro Martinez

Omar on WFAN

2006-07-27T15:40:00.000-04:00

Omar spent about a half-hour with Francesa this afternoon. Among other things...

--He's "happy" with the starters, including Valentin at second for the rest of the season.

--He's looking for power hitting off the bench, someone "who can drive the ball and hit a home run," preferably a lefty.

--"I feel good about the bullpen, but in this business you better not get too comfortable about pitching," referencing the White Sox.

--Will there be big players moved (but not necessarily to/from the Metropolitans) by Monday? "I think there will be." Omar says lots of NL clubs aren't sure whether they want to move or not move guys.

--"Quality arms are at a premium, and some of the ones that are available are rentals" that teams are looking for "premium" prices in return for. Hmmmm, who does that sound like?

--It's "possible" to acquire a three starter before the deadline, but stressed that the three starter could already be on the team as well.

--Omar also wants a guy "who can pitch in the eighth inning."

--Sanchez/Heilman: "They can definitely be eighth inning, but what's wrong with having another guy back there?"

--Worries about Pedro/Glavine: "Not really." Glavine's pitched great the first half but not as sharp recently, but just needs to make "adjustments."

--Pedro will be "fine." Says he needs to regain command which he lost with the injury, and consistent outings of 6-8 innings going into late in the season "and hopefully beyond."

--Mike asked if there was a "big" pitcher out there that can be had for the "right price"? "As far as I know he is not on the horizon." But "Things can happen quickly in the next couple of days," and "I would not be surprised" if something happened, looks forward to getting "some very interesting calls this weekend."

--It's coming down to the wire because "everyone's so close" in the NL playoff race.

--Has Milledge fallen into disfavor because of his attitude? "No, not at all. This kid is really a special kid. His attitude is that of a 20-year-old kid that you'd like a kid to have. We are as high on him today as we've ever been before."

--Pelfrey? "Too early a sample" at this point. "When we planned this year, we didn't plan this year with Mike Pelfrey in mind," but "very impressed" with the way he's performed. "There's something special here, and hopefully he'll have a great career for us."

--Maine is also "a year away from being a solid, middle-of-the-rotation guy."

--Delgado: "What he brings to the clubhouse has been huge this year," even with sub-par numbers.

--Chavez/Valentin/Nady pick'em: Omar likes Valentin. "Smart" player that brings a lot to the clubhouse and has been a "big, big surprise", but other guys have been good too.

--Also, "possible" for Fonzie to have a role when the rosters expand depending on how he does in Norfolk.

--Today, press Yes or No, will there be a "prominent" pitching addition by Tuesday? Omar says "No."

Not much surprising here from Omar. Talking up our guys in anticipation of the deadline and playing down any rumors. But he did hint that there will be a lot of activity this weekend, so who knows what he has up his sleeve.

Happy Recap

2006-07-26T15:48:00.000-04:00

If you burst out of your recliner at the end of today's game screaming the now-infectious Shea Stadium trademark chant "Jose, Jose Jose Jose, Jose, Jose!" well then nobody could blame you. Though it wasn't for our future Hall of Famer shortstop, it was for our journeyman outfielder-cum-second baseman whose resurgence has been the most notable in sports since George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer.

Former Flusher Glendon Rusch had walked David Allen Wright to load the bases and get to Jose Valentin, who hit a 1-2 fastball into center to send the kids (there were thousands of them, with a 12:05 p.m. Summer Camp day start) home happy.

But the biggest yeoman's effort for today's matchup was undoubtedly that of John Maine, yes, John Maine, he of the 2.45 ERA, he who pitched 7 innings, the majority of which in the shadow of a Mark Prior no-hitter-in-progress. Maine fanned 7 and gave up only 3 hits in the process.

Dusty "Black people are better at sweating" Baker yanked the fragile Prior around the 100-pitch mark in the 6th, and once it became a battle of the bullpens you knew the Metsies would win, though Aaron Heilman made it scary, as he is wont to do recently, in the top of the 10th.

In short, we needed this win today. Terrible to lose a series at home to the worst team in the league, but getting swept--on the day before a travel day to Atlanta--would have been completely unthinkable. Today we were as against the wall as a team with a 12-game division lead could be, and we pulled it out.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: John Maine

BBPOTS Daps: Jose Valentin

Recap

2006-07-25T22:35:00.000-04:00

A good game, a piss poor result. Tom Glavine may be an old goat, but he was more sheep than wolf tonight.

But at least i have this to look forward to:

REYES
7

Sun setting on the Yankees

2006-07-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

Most of the time, the New York Sun is known for their denial that the Soviet Union ever existed. But this excellent column by Tim Marchman shows that not everything in the Sun is completely laughable. I shall quote at length.

While there may somewhere be someone who enjoys listening to Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay, I have yet to meet him or her.

I watch and listen to games from all over the country, minor league games included, and Kay is easily the most maddening play-by-play man in the country. There are some real homers working in the game right now, and some homers with some really annoying catchphrases, and then there's Kay. He's not only a homer, but seems to feel that the Yankees operate on a higher moral plane than their opponents and that he operates on a higher moral plane than many Yankees; he's not only a spouter of catchphrases, but of some of the most charmless you'll ever hear. ("See ya!")

This isn't all Yankee-bashing, though, as fun as that really is. Marchman points out that the Metropolitans broadcast team of Cohen, Darling, and Hernandez is doing a great job this year. Before that, though, another graf bashing the Yanks:

Someday Joe Torre, Mariano Rivera, and Jeter will move on, but those unintentionally hilarious advertisements using Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle to sell Magnetic Calendar Night promotions will endure, and everything they symbolize — the Yankees' (somewhat endearing) organizational blindness to their own pompousness and complete lack of a sense of humor, for starters — will endure, too, for both better and worse.

OK, now to the Mets kudos.

Clearly, the three are energized by an exciting team, but they also have more important attributes than vivaciousness — like honesty and insightfulness. A great deal of Hernandez's charm is in the fact that he sounds three sheets to the wind half the time, but a lot more is in his ability to spot subtle defensive shifts, break down pitching patterns, and point out mechanical flaws in swings without getting wonky.

Darling, similarly, can tell a story and has an easygoing charm about him, but can also explain the game's subtleties — what you can tell about a pitcher from the way he takes his warm-up throws, how umpires affect pitch selection, things like that. And Cohen, besides having a gift for knowing when to be quiet that most announcers with radio backgrounds lack, also has, simply, credibility. There's no shtick with him, nothing contrived, and you never feel as if he feels he's above the game or the players. That's just not always true of the competition.

Marchman rounds off the piece with rightful daps to Gary Cohen, whose years in radio has made him a real pro. Just another sign of the turning tide in the Big Apple, folks.

The new stadium better have a bigger left-field wall

2006-07-25T13:39:00.000-04:00

Another in our parade of to-be retired numbers.

WRIGHT
5

Recap

2006-07-24T22:51:00.000-04:00

Almost, almost almost.

Stevie Trax didn't have his best stuff tonight, and it showed, as the hapless Cubbies put up a snowman on the Shea scoreboard. The Metropolitans, described Monday by former mayor and die-hard Yankee fan Rudy Guiliani as "the most popular sports team since the New York Cosmos," gallantly fought back, but came up a bit short.

But at least everyone got home from Shea in time to catch the end of Raw.

Things to think about

2006-07-24T00:09:00.000-04:00

Let's face it guys, w're going to have some tough decisions ahead of us in the decades to come...like what numbers to retire in 10 to 20 years. So every day this week, as a preview of seasons to come, I'll give you a sneak preview. And since it's the Lord's day, I'll throw two numbers out there.

RANDOLPH
12

BUCKNER
86

Recap

2006-07-23T19:10:00.000-04:00

Aaron Bleeping Heilman.

Happy Recap

2006-07-22T17:12:00.000-04:00

Entering my apartment in the top of the third inning, my first words upon turning on the TV were "Fucking El Duque!" But a few innings later, I self edited to say, "Fucking A, El Duque! Way to go!"

You have to give El Duque credit, being so trustful of a battery-mate named Castro, and holding the defending NL champs to three runs in seven innings.

Joe "Young" Buck and Tim McCarver bickered through the entire game, with Buck claiming Livan Hernandez would be a great pick-up for a contending team. Alerted to Livan's subpar stats this year, Buck harkened back to the 1997 World Series, where with a monsterous strike zone, Hernandez was superb. McCarver then pointed out that any team obtaining Livan wuold have to pay him $7 million next year, to which Buck began rambling about the greatness of WIllie McGee and the Go Go Cardinals of the early 1980s.
McCarver then threw a hissy fit about how the term "quality start" doesn't really mean anything. Somebody dump a tub of Gatorade over this man's head, please.

Xavier Nady, who's been taking full advantage of Willie's liberalized facial hair policies won POTG with a game-changing three-run bomb to left. Stay on top but remain from the underground indeed.

BBPOTS PLayer of the Game: Xavier Nady

Happy Recap

2006-07-21T23:09:00.000-04:00

Remember the Maine. That's what they'll be saying when we retire #33 at Shea 20 years from now. The guy's a stud. And Jose Valentin!

The only question I have is: what happened to right field after Delgado's home run? Looks like we went a little overboard with the pyrotechnics, but the guys on the WB never really went into it.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: John Maine

Happy Recap

2006-07-21T08:56:00.000-04:00

Depth depth depth. Endy Chavez delivered us the game in the top of the 10th, and Wagner came in and closed the door.

Clifford seems to be right back on track, too, going 2-4 with a homer. Carlos Del-got-one, his first since our series at Fenway; hopefully he's back on track, too.

Tommy gave us 6.1 for 2 runs, which will be par for the course for him in the second half. The bullpen went 3.2 scoreless, with Pedro--Feliciano--getting the win.

Above all, our propensity for winning on the road should be encouraging, especially against a decent team like the Red Stockings. We're 10 above. 500 away from Shea--and 9 above at home--another reason that the new stadium will be a welcome addition in 2009.

Onward and updward.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Endy Chavez

Happy Recap

2006-07-19T07:15:00.000-04:00

Carlos Carlos Carlos. What a grand man. And Mike Pelfrey did the job for the second straight start. Not a masterpiece, but he didn't fall to pieces either. Let's keep it going.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Carlos Beltran

Lunchtime edition

2006-07-18T13:09:00.000-04:00

One would think there's not a lot to talk about the day after a Metropolitan's off day. Not so.

-Some strange problems across town at third. Alex Rodriguez clearly faked an injury last night in order to get away from hearty boos after making three errors and striking out in a big situation. On Saturday afternoon, I, at Yankee Stadium, saw him roundly booed again by the home crowd after striking out twice. And while I don't usually condone home fans demoralizing their own players, it didn't bother me.
Something is clearly wrong here. Joe Torre should sit ARod down ASAP, and figure out if he's going to be comfortable playing out his contract in David Allen Wright's shadow. If not, well, I'm not sure what to do with him.

-Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Fonzie is back, playing a stint at Tidewater after being released by two teams already this season. And while he'd have to fight Billy Wagner for his old number, we may need some more help at second base this season.

-Mike Pelfry and his Jordanesque tongue wagging on the mound tonight against Wild Card leader Cincinnati. He was in trade rumours in the papers this morning, reportedly as part of a deal proposed by the White Sox that would send Freddy Garcia to the Metsies for Pelfry and Duaner Sanchez. I have mixed feelings here.

-Good to see the offensive outburst on Sunday night. Down 5-0, starter not pitching well, about to lose a series to the hapless Cubs, the ram had touched the wall. Luckily the Cliff Floyd-led Metsies took the hill.

In-game update

2006-07-16T20:38:00.000-04:00

THEY'RE THROWING GARBAGE ON THE FIELD!

Bring your own

2006-07-12T00:37:00.000-04:00

BOO-YAH!

All Star recap

2006-07-11T23:24:00.000-04:00

Damn you, Zinidine Zidane. You broke my heart. You might ask, why are you, a god-fearing, patriotic American rooting for the French, Mr. Cat? Well, I have 4 reasons for you:

I live in New Jersey
Guidos.
Italian flags
Techno music.

Put them all together and you have my Sunday night.

Right up there with Zidane in the world of shitty, jerk-faced athletes is Trevor Hoffman, who cost the Metropolitans homefield advantage in the World Series tonight – as well as David Allen Wright and Carlos Beltran co-MVP awards.

David Allen Wright was well on his way to a Jordanesque triple crown – MVPS in the regular season, the All Star Game and the Series. Damn you, Trevor Hoffman, damn you! Bon Scott is rolling in his grave.

But it was tremendous to see all stars from both leagues wearing mini-Terrible Towels on their arms in honor of the Five Time World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, was it not?

Happy Recaps

2006-07-09T22:08:00.000-04:00

As promised, BBPOTS was incommunicado for the weekend while we won a beer pong tournament. Now that this post sounds like every Matt Thompson column ever written, let's talk about David Allen Wright. A three-run bleacher bomb to left in the bottom of the 8th gave us a win to go into the break today, and we even survived another Billy Wagner adventure in the 9th.

A split Saturday was satisfactory, considering we had John Maine and Mike Pelfrey pitching. I didn't see either game, but 2 ER through 5 probably sounds better than it looked. After Jose Valentin's performance, though, who could talk about anything else?

BBPOTS Saturday Player of the Game: Jose Valentin

BBPOTS Sunday Player of the Game: David Wright

Happy Recap

2006-07-07T05:48:00.000-04:00

Three straight with the fish coming in for a series before the all-star game. Good to see Clifford get a clutch hit to drive in two early, though his getting hit on the forearm gave me quite a scare. But who comes through, as he does time and time again? David Allen Wright. His Lamont-esque youth and energy took the aging Lieberman-like Bucs off-guard, and though the stodgy Pirates, like Lieberman, tried to cheap-shot their way into the game, even beaning Steve Trachsel, we held them off with aplomb with the style of the Greenwich millionaire telecom magnate. We volunteer teach at Harding High!

But let's talk about MIKE PELFREY. He's up at last, but it's at the expense of Pedro going on the DL. Though that's always troubling, hopefully we can make our divisional lead count for something and have the rest of the guys in the rotation step up, or at least not give up much ground, in the next few cycles.

This weekend will be rocky for DocGooden's Cat and I. Updates will be horrifically late, it at all. We apologize in advance.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: David Wright

Notes

2006-07-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

A few things I thought I might pass along:

The Metropolitans have six, maybe seven, all stars this year. This makes me happy. This is the most satisfied I’ve ever been since I willed myself invisible to escape a knife fight outside a certain Westville, New Haven, Connecticut bar I used to frequent.

Jose Reyes is the best player in the league, to paraphrase Shannon Sharpe. David Wright and Carlos Beltran are in the top 8.

I don’t like to call out Mets players for stupidity, and I hope we only have to do it so often. But this is for extreme circumstances, the few times when a cat should be booed at home. But the first BBPOTS Buttchips certification of the year goes to Pedro Feliciano for going at Willie this week. Willie’s response: “I’ve been around winners all my life and winners don’t act like that.” That’s smooth. Smooth as Bill Fuckin Clinton.

Angel Hernandez got religion and made the correct call at home the other day. Who knew?!

This ARod-Paul LoDuca thing has gotten a little out of hand on talk radio. These things go on more than people know, but few players are under the microscope that Rodriguez is. But since none of his teammates have defended him, and since I’ve never really hear a Yankee fan defend ARod, I feel like I don’t need to say anything.

Yeah we had a rough go at the AL East. Yeah the AL is better than the NL this year, by a lot. But the only thing that matters in besibol is the individual matchup, and the only team that really terrified me is the Chicago White Sox.

Get your polka shoes on, six of our guys are going to the All Star Game. Does anyone know who’s throwing out the first pitch? Clemente rising from the dead anyone?

BBPOTS BUTTCHIPS: Pedro Feliciano

Happy Recap

2006-07-05T21:43:00.000-04:00

Really, this is the happiest I'll ever be after watching my team get no-hit for eight innings.

Luckily, Jose led the game off with his twelfth triple of the year, and four hits behind him gave Duque the cushion he needed to throw a spectacular game, which he did. One could have argued for keeping him in after 7 innings, but our pitch-count-conscious coaching staff had other thoughts.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Orlando Hernandez

Happy Recap - Sort of

2006-07-04T18:42:00.000-04:00

Sheesh. What does it take to get a win these days. I mean, maybe it’s not such a bad idea if Aaron Heilman would clean his gun already.

Monday night’s game was a complete debacle, to use the words of William Laird Cowher. Scary. Scary. Suddenly these Bucs playing the Metropolitans before a packed house at Shea were not the last place Pirates of Jim Tracy, but the old tyme, Big Red Machine-beating, We Are Family Pirates of Pops and Clemente and yellow hats and Jimmy Pol. Yikes, thought I, as another home run by Nate McLouth, yes, that Nate McLouth, flew over the centerfield fence.

Of course, there’s no reason to be pessimistic right now. But there are obvious concerns, such as a suddenly shaky bullpen and a rotation shrinking in depth by the day.

So let’s take the series from the Bucs tomorrow, and regroup during the All-Star break, which will essentially be the Mets against the American League.

BBPOTS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jose Reyes

More like Alay So-long!

2006-07-04T01:42:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess at this point in the season we can name two things the National League won't win this year: the All-Star Game and the World Series. The nicest thing that can be said about the National League's performance in interleague play this season is that they absolutely had their shit pushed in.

The Mets, the best team in the NL, lost 8 out of the 12 interleague games they played in the past two weeks. After playing .500 ball against the Orioles and Blue Jays they finished off by going 1-5 against The Red Sox and Yankees. I suppose it's fortunate they didn't have to play the AL Central, but that is just about the only positive that can be taken out of this experience.

Being the best team in an obviously weak National League might sound good, but that and three quarters doesn't add up to a dollar when it counts.

Pregame

2006-07-03T14:27:00.000-04:00

Well another 3-3 split with the Yankees after getting swept by the Red Sox up in Bean Town. A lot of Metropolitan fans would be hanging their heads. But not me. The Metsies are 15 games over .500 and 11 games ahead of the second place fighting Phils.

True. Some Met fans are concerned thinking, “This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we will be lucky to live through it.”
Wrong. Repeat after me, things are good. In fact, it reminds me of the heady days of Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin when the world trembled at the sound of our rockets. Now they will tremble at our ability to rebound from a few bad series.

It was just a few a few years ago that a certain former coworker of mine, codenamed “Ballsbags,” went off at work about how interleague play wasn’t necessary and there was no reason for the Yankees to play the Mets because the whole series was an embarrassment. Well how quickly things change, Ballsbags. The Metsies are hanging in there with the team that people from the Bronx like, despite spending like $400 billion less in payroll. Last I heard, Yankees fans were lining up at the tops of tall buildings or at crowded bars wondering what exactly is going on, screaming, "tech support! Tech support!"

They may have tied the season series, but Yankee fans are now faced with the impending reality that they’re going to have to watch the Mets celebrate a Series title this year, just two years after having to watch the hated Red Sox do the same. Indeed, we’ll sweep the Pirates and get on with this shit. People will read again!

Recap

2006-07-03T11:16:00.000-04:00

"Maybe Darren Oliver will pitch nine tomorrow."

--The wisdom of Harold Reynolds

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Carlos Beltran

Recap, Part II

2006-07-02T15:45:00.000-04:00

I'd like to thank Hotfoot Fan for stepping up and doing a recap I was supposed to do. I fell asleep.

Phew. After the past week, it's a relief to see the Metroplitans can still hit the ball. Eight runs on the board against RJ , who has shown complete disdain for the residents of the tri-state area on numerous occasions, always makes the Flushing Faithful feel good.

So a win tonight will seal a season series win against the Yankees, for the second time in three years. Baseball fans of New York will look back at tonight's win as a changing of the guard in the city's baseball history. "On July 2, my planes filled the sky," Mets fans will say decades from now.

Happy Recap

2006-07-01T22:12:00.000-04:00

That's why you keep a guy like Stephen Christopher Trachsel on the team--to keep Rickey and Omar smiling! Two earned in six against the best lineup in baseball. Quite a performance from a guy who, as Christopher Russo maintains, always stinks against the Yankees.

Stuff it, Mad Dog!

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Steve Trachsel

Another declaration

2006-07-01T10:11:00.000-04:00

Four straight. Wow. And the Marlins look like a team that could win the division. With their $15 million payroll. The sky isn't falling, but I'm starting to have doubts.

As for the declaration: No more player of the game nods until the Metropolitans win a game. In fact, recognition will only be given in Mets wins, lest a player really plays his socks off in a loss.

That is all.

Declaration

2006-06-30T13:04:00.000-04:00

Because of the smarminess of certain posters on this site, I hereby declare all making out between Red Sox and Metropolitan fans, literal or figurative, drunk or only buzzed, to be done. The night is done. Everyone is done. Everyone is going to bed. It's done.

And just remember, Tucker is on your team...

Start spreading the news...

2006-06-30T09:13:00.000-04:00

Don't plan that parade route yet, Mr. Bloomberg.

Mr. Glavine stole the words out of my mouth, with the cliched "You're not as bad as you are when you're getting swept and not as good as you are when you're winning a dozen in a row." However, it looked to me like the team with the best record in the NL got out-NL'd last night. In a tie game, Coco Crisp bunted, stole, got sacrificed twice and scored the go-ahead run. And to quote an overplayed NESN promo "Did you see that catch that Coco made?!?"

A few observations about the Mets after seeing them up close for three days:

1) Their pitching staff doesn't have a lot of "swing and miss" kind of guys. I think in the entire series, I saw their starters throw a total of maybe five pitches at 90 mph or above. You could see in the at-bats against Glavine and Pedro that the Sox were just biding their time and waiting for their pitch, flicking their wrists to foul off the close ones. The pair of aces totaled one strikeout in 7-plus against the Sox.

2) The Mets are well aware of their 11 game lead and didn't feel that last night's game was a "must win." Floyd rehabbed in Single-A, while Delgado sat. Sure, it may be for the best in the long run, but it's not uncommon for a sweep like this to really take the swagger out of a team. Hopefully for them, they see it as more of a wake up call and not just an ass kicking.

3) Every time David Wright came to the plate in a critical spot (seemed to happen at least once a game, often more) I was terrified, but except for getting robbed by Crisp, he never seemed to put a great swing on the ball. I know he's much better than he showed in the series, but I'm thankful he was able to be contained.

As for Curt Schilling being a gigantic douchebag, I'm not sure if I agree. He's opinionated, sure, but dear God, think of how we would be perceived in public if we were 200-game winners and World Series MVPs and had cameras in our faces 24/7. Above all, he's not an asshole like Randy Johnson, he's not a primadonna like Pedro, he doesn't beat women like Brett Myers and he devotes a ton of time to charity and the cities of Boston, Phoenix and Philadelphia.

And if you saw the Mets win a World Series, you wouldn't care if Alay Soler and El Duque campaigned for Fidel freakin' Castro.

Postgame

2006-06-29T23:12:00.000-04:00

I have nothing to say about this week's series in Boston, except 'Where's the booze?! Flowin' like mud around here.'

Luckily for us, we don't have to face the Red Sox for three more years. I'll explain. The AL's wild card winner will almost certainly come from the Central Division this year, and A Connecticut Yankee has assured me that the Yankees will win the AL East. So nothing to worry about.

One more thing: Can we all, fans of all stripes, agree that Curt Schilling is the biggest douchebag in the game today? Easily, I think. The man owes an apology to the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, many of which he has senselessly sent to their deaths (by proxy) through his whole, "I painted my sock red. Vote for Bush!" bullshit two years ago. Haditha was your fucking fault, Curt!

Postgame

2006-06-29T08:37:00.000-04:00

This hasn't been broadcast in the major media yet, but David Allen Wright's Golden Lab Retriever, Spangles, died this week after a heroic battle with a debilitating disease. So obviously the team has had other things on it's mind.

Ugh. Can't say much about this series. Obviously it's time for the Metropolitans to go home, take care of our kids. Cause we ain't gonna do shit about it anyway.

Recap

2006-06-29T07:01:00.000-04:00

Look, guys. Everyone knows we're just sandbagging in case we meet the Sox in October. Think of the 86 World Series. Who won the first two games? The Red Sox, who joined with everyone in writing off the Metropolitans after going up by a couple. And the Phillies lost, too. No mas.

Welcome to the AL

2006-06-28T11:03:00.000-04:00

(Disclaimer: Once this series is over, I swear by David Wright not to bash the Mets and will recognize them as the class of the NL)

Sure, Soler may be your number 5 starter, but he had been one of your most consistent since his first start. However, while a righty throwing 88 mph fastballs and a high percentage of curves may fare well in the Senior Circuit, it takes a lot more than that to get through deep nine-man lineups.

And it's not like the Mets were facing a seasoned vet, either. Lester was making his fourth major league start and was in diapers the last time Shea was home to a World Series winning team.

Also, Milledge may want to check out some video of Manny Ramirez to learn how to play left in Fenway. This man did lead the AL in outfield assists last year, and he showed why last night.

As for tonight, the only thing I'd be happier to see than Pedro back in Fenway is Pedro walking back to the dugout in the middle of an inning down by five.

Recap

2006-06-28T06:48:00.000-04:00

Well congratulations, Red Sox. You beat our number five starter, who was squeezed unbelievably by home plate umpire Tim McClelland. Canany pitch against David Ortiz be called a strike?

Oh well. Jose Bernabe Reyes survived a scary collision, but went 0-5 as he was brought down to earth in the midst of a hot streak, and also brought down below the .300 mark, but let's hope not for long. Beltran was an isolated bright spot, reaching base 4 times including a solo shot.

Who's pitching tonight?

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Carlos Beltran

Pregame

2006-06-27T19:11:00.000-04:00

I said I would make it home for the beginning of tonight's game, and here I am. It's amazing how much more relaxed Red Sox fans are now that they got a ring.

We should all, Metropolitan and Red Sox fan alike, remember that we're all on the same team here. We all relish playing those evil douchebags across town. The U.S. and Canada may not see eye to eye on everything, but let's not throw the NAFTA out with the bathwater. Again, remember, we're all friends here. Friendly bets only.

Fenway Park is great. If you haven't ever seen a game there you owe it to yourself to. It's the way baseball is supposed to be. And I'll tell you why. Baseball is a game for kids. And Fenway looks like the places you played as a kid. Kind of, not really, but you get the point. Maybe you had a deep centerfield in your yard with a stormpipe that would unexpectedly create triples. Maybe you loved to hit cheap homers down the rightfield line. Or maybe a tall garage wall in left. It's kids playing a game all over again. Say you're back in the hood, back with your homeboys. Go to the Buick. Turn around. I'll throw it to ya. It's improvised, and it works because baseball fields are at their best when they're perfectly important.

Now, lets give 'em the big legdrop off the ropes!!!

Day off

2006-06-26T23:50:00.000-04:00

Who could've seen it coming? Less than a month before the all-star break, the New York Metropolitans have three viable candidates for the league MVP award, the pitcher with the most wins in the league and a closer poised to make a run at the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award.

David Allen Wright, PBUH, gets most of the chants, while Carlos Beltran seems comfortable as the team's best all around player and in the running himself. But Jose Barnabe Reyes has, in just 15 games, raised his average from .246 to over .300. To quote the late Christopher Wallace: "He gone from ashy to nasty to classy. Shit."

It's official: Jose Reyes is the most dangerous player in the National League. A .302 hitter is a .302 hitter, but when he's on pace to steal 70 bases and a boot of the ball means two extra bases. Oh my.

Happy Recap

2006-06-26T05:50:00.000-04:00

So what did Jose Bernabe Reyes do Sunday? It was just another normal day: 4 hits, including a lead-off home run to start the game. Jose scored two runs and drove in a pair in the win against the Jays, which we grinded out despite another great adventure from Billy Wagner in the 9th.

Beltran put us up by three with a bomb with two men on in the third. The Jays' pitching down the stretch was never good enough to hold us, ensuring we'd give Wagner the lead he'd need in the last frame. Though he didn't give up any runs, he still made it interesting, putting two men on before deciding to retire the heart of the Toronto lineup.

Despite all his faults this season, Billy still has 15 saves and a 2.45 ERA thus far this season. Those numbers should be better, but if he can get in a groove going into the All-Star game (and more importantly, after it) then we'll all obviously be happier.

Words can't really describe Reyes' current hot streak. He's hit safely in 13 games straight, and his batting average is north of .300 for the first time I can really remember. In the last seven games he's gone 17 for 31 with 10 runs, three doubles, two triples, and a home run. Oh, and he's leading the league in stolen bases, triples, and runs.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Jose Reyes

BBPOTS Mets Fan of the Week: Sven-Goran Eriksson

Happy Recap

2006-06-24T14:53:00.000-04:00

Tom Glavine is 11-2. ELEVEN AND TWO!

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Tom Glavine

Happy Recap

2006-06-23T00:14:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine was at the game today, and he made it official:

Jose Reyes is the best Hispanic baseball player since Ted Williams. Never before have I ever seen a baseball player stretch a hit in run into a 2-base advancement on what would have been a routine double play ball.

Oh and David Allen Wright hit two homers.

BBPOTS Man of the Match: David Wright

Recap

2006-06-22T15:54:00.000-04:00

Jose Reyes. The cycle.

Billy "Total Giveaway" Wagner.

BBPOTS Player of the Game: Jose Reyes