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Final Opening Day at Shea
2008-04-08 16:26:00
I'm just about ready to head to Shea for the last Opening Day at our beloved, yet imperfect, stadium. Shea is like a second home for me, having been going there since the late 70's. And while I'll be sad to see it go, there is no doubt I am fired up for the new CitiField. It's not like we were overly successful in this stadium, winning just as many championships as the Florida Marlins, but in 40+ years. So hopefully, the new stadium will host more World Series than Shea.Unfortunately, today, in what will be a memorable day in Queens, the 57,000+ fans in attendance will have to endure listening to a truly pathetic sing-a-long song by Rick Astley in the 8th inning. If there weren't enough things to be embarrassed about, being a Mets fan (see '07 collapse, or "Who Brought the Dogs Out" theme in 2000), but this is downright silly.Anyway, let's hope for a Mets victory today, because if they lose, and I have to hear that awful song, my humiliation will be at an apex.
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Why is Benny Agbayani Sitting on my Desk?
2008-04-07 15:27:00
File this one into the "posts I never thought I'd write" category.So my dad just got back from a week long business trip in Japan, and while he was there I asked him to pick me up some sort of sports memorabilia that had Japanese writing on it. I thought it would be kind of cool to have a baseball shirt with some Japanese writing.Lo and behold there's a popular baseball team over there called the Chiba Lotte Marines. And guess who's one of their star players? Former Met Benny Agbayani. So here on my desk at work there is an autographed photo of Benny Agbayani.I can't stop laughing at it. And the best part is the manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines is none other than Bobby Valentine. Of course.The best part is I've already had someone come in and comment on the photo. They asked "Isn't Benny Agbayani your generations Bobby Bonilla?"I had to laugh at that. Unfortunately I remember Bonilla as a Met as well.
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Typical Mets Finish
2008-04-07 05:09:00
Sunday's finale against the Braves was a real drag. First you had to watch Johan Santana suffer as Met after Met after marched up to the plate with a chance to give him a win only to have it fall short.Then you had to endure yet another home run given up by Aaron "the Home Run King" Heilman to put a reachable 1-0 game turn into a 3-0 cushion.As I was lying down on my couch fading somewhere between slumber and disappointment, the Mets of course rally in the 9th. My nap is officially ruined as I sit with anticipation as the Mets have 2 on base with a run in leaving the tying run on 1st (who by the way was Angel Pagan who is a fantastic pick up so far).So right after Soriano basically loses total control of his command, what does Brian Schneider do? Why swing at the first pitch of course!I will give Schneider some slack as it was a beautifully placed hit over the first base bag that Mark Texiera made a nice play on, but still swinging at the first pitch in the 9th inning with 2 on and...
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Some Things Never Change
2008-04-07 02:04:00
New season, new pitcher, same result…Mets lose to the Braves...again. The first test of the season came early for the 2008 Mets and they failed. Johan did his part allowing one run through 7 innings, but the offense was nonexistent. John Smoltz mowed the Mets down for the first five innings and then Atlanta’s bullpen, which got hammered by the Pirates in the previous series, went on to close out the final four, allowing a run in the 9th, but it was too late.It’s only 5 games into the season but the Atlanta Braves are better than the NY Mets. If you look at these two teams objectively, you will agree. Their lineup can flat out mash and if Smoltz stays healthy, that’s a big if, as he was wincing in pain before being taken out, the Braves are the team to beat. And until the Mets can prove they can beat them, I’m not going to think otherwise.Time and time again we see them go down to Atlanta and it annoys the heck out of me. I thought for sure, with Johan taking the mound, th...
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Johan Must Win Today
2008-04-06 14:15:00
Today, I have every expectation to win this game as Johan Santana takes the mound against John Smoltz and the Braves. Opening Day was a nice start, but that was against the Marlins. This game today is different. This is the game I want Johan Santana to go out and win.No doubt he will be facing a formidable lineup - probably, the best in the NL – but Santana needs to shut them down so the Mets can head back to NY with a winning record going in to their home opener against the Phils. With the exception of 2006, Atlanta has absolutely owned us over the last decade+ and yesterday’s defeat was no different. It was rather typical. But now, armed with our best pitcher in 20 years, the result needs to change. And that change should begin at 1:30 this afternoon.
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Tom Glavine is a Better Person Than You Are
2008-04-06 12:29:00
In an interview Friday night with Kevin Burkhart of SNY, Tom Glavine said he was not devastated following his pathetic display of pitching; his last performance in a Mets uniform, on that fateful Sunday afternoon because he and his wife have seen devastation first hand from the charity they run for children with cancer. He said he understands the way people feel but he has a certain perspective on things at this stage in his life with kids and all.Uh, thank you Tom. Thank you for your profound explanation, because we Mets Lifers really misunderstood you when you said you were not devastated. But now that you have so eloquently pointed out that there are more important things in life than winning baseball games (going out on limb here, but I believe that’s what you’re trying to say), we feel a heck of a lot better now. Please excuse us for feeling ‘devastated’ after our beloved team just completed the second greatest collapse in regular season history, which you contributed s...
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Bugs and Cranks Indoor Four Contest '08
2008-04-05 19:20:00
The well written, Bugs & Cranks, has returned this season with a brand new round of their "Indour Four Contest ."I'd never seen this before last year, but it's a very unique contest where basically you pick a player that you think is going to hit an inside the park home run every month and you get points for triples. At the end of every month you tally up your points based on your players performance and there's a chance to win Best Buy gift cards.The grand prize is a $300 Best Buy gift card. Can you see a Blu-Ray DVD player in your future? I'd go with Carl Crawford or Carlos Gomez. But of course the guy who hits an inside the park home run will probably someone totally absurd like Jorge Posada just to mess with us.Anyway, check it out at Bugs & Cranks and stick around to check out some great posts covering all of your favorite MLB teams.

Things to Look Forward to in the Series Against the Braves
2008-04-04 19:15:00
Booing Tom Glavine uncontrollablyNot seeing Mike Hampton pitch again (hee hee)Chipper Jones getting hit in the headDavid Wright shoving his gold glove down Chipper's throatBooing Tom Glavine uncontrollablyWatching Johan Santana vs. John SmoltzLaughing uncontrollably if Mike Pelfrey out pitches Tom GlavineBooing Tom Glavine uncontrollablyAway games in HD on SNY HDMets taking 2 out of 3 in Turner FieldLets go Mets!
More About: Series , Things , Braves , Forward

The Mets Series Against the Marlins in 10 Words or Less
2008-04-04 19:13:00
Santanariffic. Not again Pedro. Wise unimpressive. Wright looking good.
More About: Series , Words , Mets , Marlins

Blame Pedro's Injury on Mets Today
2008-04-02 17:55:00
Joe over at Mets Today has a great post on why Pedro's injury is his fault because he picked Pedro Martinez for his fantasy baseball team.This happens to me with Giants players on my fantasy football team. I had Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward this year. But it looks like Joe has a history of this type of behavior.Please Joe, don't pick Jose Reyes or David Wright for the next ten years!
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The Missing Mets
2008-04-02 17:47:00
Let me start this post by saying I'm confident in the Mets roster of players. I love the Santana trade, and I think that Schneider and Church will both add some stability to our lineup.I do think that there are a few Mets this year that will be missed. Sure we had to give up something to get something, and everything we got was a more than adequate addition. But I still know there will be times this year (and probably the next few years) where we'll miss these ex-Mets.1. Carlos GomezWe got Johan Santana for him and some other minor leaguers. Clearly the Mets got the better end of the bargain, but Gomez is sure to impress folks in Minnesota this year. I guarantee that on more than one occasion we'll see Gomez make a stellar grab in the outfield or showcase his blazing speed on ESPN's Baseball Tonight. With Alou being out, Gomez's absence might become more pronounced early on this year than anyone expected.2. Lastings MilledgeI don't think we'll miss Milledge too much this year...
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Matt Wise Tries Out for the Role of Guillermo Mota
2008-04-02 14:43:00
Keith Hernandez had just finished the last consonant in a sentence where he remarked how Matt Wise was leaving his changeup too high in the zone when "I Don't Even Know His First Name" Andino crushed a walk off homer to left field to send the Mets to their first loss of the season.I was a little surprised to see Willie Randolph turn to Wise in back to back games to start the season. I was thinking he'd bring in Joe Smith to get him some work and burn an inning before relying on a long reliever to get through the extra innings.The worst part is Wise's stuff looked pretty good. His change up was filthy against the first two batters when he was keeping it low. I have no clue what possessed him to try throwing it up in the zone. Anyone who's ever played a 2K baseball video game knows that a changeup or curveball high in the strike zone is an automatic home run!I was waiting to hear Willie Randolph say in the postgame inteviews that Matt Wise is "his guy." That would have been the ki...
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PedrOH-NO!
2008-04-02 05:37:00
Well that was quick. All that euphoria we were feeling yesterday was quickly turned into mush a day later. It must be baseball season. And unfortunately for Mets fans, that means a lot of anguish.Tonight, not only did the Mets lose on a walk off home run by a guy who never hit a major league homer before, but we also lost Pedro Martinez once again as he pulled a hammie in the 4th inning and had to leave the game. I’m not ready to jump off a cliff but this is exactly what we didn’t need to happen two games in. It’s a total buzz kill. And watching the post game report, you get a sense that Willie and company are completely dejected by this. They looked like the wind was just taken out of their sails, and Willie in particular, looked like he was ready to shed a tear (maybe not that bad). In any event, this was a tough night for the Mets and selfishly, for me too, since this loss officially christens in a new season where I become quite moody. Up one day, down the next. Need to ge...

SNY HD is Awesome
2008-04-01 18:42:00
I'm an HD snob. I'll admit it. If it's not on in HD, I won't watch it.That's why it bothered me so much the last few seasons that the Mets away games were not in high definition. It's a disgrace to my plasma that I am forced to watch the game with those annoying gray bars on either side.But now SNY has committed to broadcasting every single Mets game in 2008 in HD, whether it's home or away.And let me tell you that SNY HD this season is fantastic. They must have boosted their HD signal this year to 1080i or 1080p broadcast frequency because the picture was unbelievable for the Mets opening day game in Florida.The SNY HD picture rivals the Sunday Night Football game on NBC HD which to me is possibly the best quality video for a sporting event, but SNY is easily rivaling them in quality.A great opening day. Santana pitches. Mets win. Wright, Reyes & Beltran get a few RBIs. And SNY shows the game in the most stunning HD quality that I've seen for a Mets game.Kudos to you SN...
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Santana + Runs = Wins
2008-04-01 03:49:00
If the Mets put up 3 runs or more every time Santana pitches, Johan Santana will win 25 games this year. I was amazed with his changeup and the way he changes speeds. He was a dominant pitcher although I do realize it was the Marlins he was facing.I did enjoy the way he made batters swing. It looked like they had rubber arms when he was throwing his fastball followed up by a 15 mph slower changeup.But the confidence he showed on the mound and calmness about him was truly refreshing. Here's a man who had the eyes of New York and the baseball world on him and pitched flawlessly.Also, tell me you weren't thinking no hitter when he retired the first 9 to face him? I know the thought crept into my mind. So sad, isn't it. Someday it'll happen though, and Sanata might just be the one to do it.
More About: Runs , Wins

Mets Take Season Opener
2008-04-01 03:08:00
Baseball is back and Johan and the Mets won their opener 7-2 over the Marlins. I love this game! I can’t wait for tomorrow’s game when our other ace, Pedro Martinez takes the hill.Some thoughts on today’s game…David Wright broke the game open in the 4th with a bases clearing double to drive in 3, but my favorite part of that inning was Jose Reyes getting an RBI single with 2 outs to give the Mets 3-0 lead. That is what made Reyes so lethal in ’06 – he was so clutch with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. That was a big hit. You also gotta love Johan Santana, who got into trouble in the 5th inning, when he found himself with 2 men on, and only one out in a 6-2 game. Santana, in true Ace fashion, proceeded to strike out 4 consecutive batters and was on his way to his first Mets win. It’s funny because I actually felt anxious watching him pitch. You know how much the Mets need him…you just want to see him throw zeros on the board. (Incidentally, Carlos Gomez is pu...
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Let's Go Mets Go!
2008-03-31 21:24:00
It's opening day. Time for a little blast from the past to kick start the season.
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Timely Hitting is the Key
2008-03-31 05:27:00
Benny Agbyani, Jay Payton and Timo Perez. Remember those guys? If you don’t, and you’re reading this, then God bless you, young Mets Lifer and welcome to our site. For most of us who do remember, they were a trio of outfielders who helped the Mets get to the 2000 World Series to face the juice-induced Yankees.If the Mets can win the NL with those guys in the outfield, then there is no reason that this 2008 Mets team should not make it. When you roll out guys like Carlos Beltran, Johann Santana, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Pedro Martinez and Carlos Delgado, you expect to win, period! No excuses.But it’s going to take more than star power to win this year. People can talk about how Jose Reyes needs to chill out, or how Willie needs to use his bullpen better (funny how no one complained about this in ’06). The biggest key for the Mets this year is getting timely hits. It’s all about fundamentals and last year, the Mets stunk it up with men on base. How many times did Reyes get ...

FLASHBACK: 1998
2008-03-30 16:16:00
What a difference a decade makes. No, I’m not referring to the uber invention that is Google which helped me find this gem of an article from the NY Times in a matter of nano seconds.I’m talking about the NY Mets and their organization. It was only 10 years ago we were the dregs of the baseball universe; still trying to break through the carnage that was the ‘Worst Team Money Could Buy,’ which included Bobby Bonilla, Vince Coleman, Eddie Murray and ironically, Willie Randolph. For much of the 90’s the Mets were a downright embarrassment and their future looked bleak.In 1998, incredibly, the Mets didn’t sell out Opening Day. ‘It’s anybody’s guess when the stadium will be full again…They lacked star appeal’ as noted in the Times article. And who could argue? Butch Huskey in right, Brian McRae in center, and Tim Spehr behind the plate – filling in for an injured Todd Hundley – was not exactly murderer’s row. Fortunately, 7 weeks later, the Mets pulled off th...
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My Bracket is Busted, It Must Be Time For Baseball
2008-03-30 03:49:00
Every college team I needed to win on Friday ended up losing. My bracket is officially busted. As a huge college basketball fan, I was disappointed in the blowout games this past weekend in the Elite 8, but it did cause me to turn to baseball.On Saturday afternoon I watched the Mets take on the White Sox in a rain drenched exhibition game in Memphis. I normally only watch 2 or 3 innings of exhibition baseball. If the game doesn't count, I find that I don't really care.But I could taste the season approaching and found myself caught up in the game. John Maine pitched 4 fantastic innings. Beltran homered. Ryan Church looked decent at the plate. And Johan Santana is pitching on Monday.I just got chills.The season is almost here and this Mets Lifer feels like it's a few days before Christmas. Let's hope I get what I asked for.I also love the fact that the Mets are starting the season right in the thick of some NL East matchups against the Marlins, Braves, & Phillies. Tom Glavine...
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Starting Lineup for the 2008 Mets
2008-03-28 16:38:00
While the Mets have until Sunday to set their official lineup, it seems to me that we know who will or will not make the starting lineup for the 2008 Mets.Here are my projections for what the lineup might look like on opening day next week against the Florida Marlins.1. Jose Reyes - SS2. Luis Castillo - 2B3. David Wright - 3B4. Carlos Beltran - CF5. Carlos Delgado - 1B6. Ryan Church - RF7. Angel Pagan- LF8. Brian Schneider - C9. Johan Santana - POf course the name that sticks out is Angel Pagan. The guy deserves a shot to play in Alou's absence. I've heard Moises Alou say that he plans on being back in April, but I would not bet on it.Endy Chavez could be an option there and I actually think that he and Pagan will platoon for the first few weeks of the season.To me the biggest question mark is Delgado in the 5 hole. Once you get to Delgado the Mets lineup strength looks like the second half of a bell curve, steep decline in power & plate presence. Church is a question mark, Pa...
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Mets Lifer Expectations for 2008
2008-03-25 13:42:00
Opening day is only a week away and somewhere in Japan right now people are getting ready for the first MLB game in the far east. It's an exciting time of year where every team still has a chance at winning the pennant.The Mets are full of high hopes, and I for one expect to see a lot of those hopes and dreams come true. Here are my expectations for 2008 .1. Jose Reyes will increase his OBP by at least 50 pointsJose Reyes is no longer a young player. He's a veteran and he needs to start proving he's a leader on this team, not by his dugout behavior but with his on field play. He needs to show patience at the plate. Get a few more walks under his belt, and for crying out loud quit trying to swing for the fences. I expect we'll see Reyes take more pitches and stop uppercutting as much as he did last year. If Reyes increases his OBP by 50 points this year, I expect that to translate into at least 10 more wins in 2008.2. The Mets will have three 15 game winners.Santana, Perez, & ...
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If the Mets Were in March Madness
2008-03-20 15:46:00
It's March and right now it's tough to focus on baseball. Spring training is winding down. Opening day starters aren't playing as much to give the young kids one last shot at a roster spot. And it's the opening day of the NCAA Tournament.So if the Mets were a team in the bracket of 65 which college team best represents them? Interesting question. The Mets are a team favored to win so they'd probably be a #1 or #2 seed.They have the best pitcher in baseball which is comparable to having the top point guard in the nation. The Mets are a team built to put up runs and predicated on speed, so we're looking at an up tempo West Coast style of play if we were translating it to basketball.But the Mets right now are older, so you'd expect some seniors on the roster with some stud freshman/sophomores to represent Wright/Reyes.I think that narrows the Mets down to being compared to either #1 seed UCLA or #1 seed Kansas. UCLA is known for its lockdown defense which is not the Mets forte. ...
More About: March Madness , Madness

Carlos Delgado Speared at Third Base
2008-03-17 14:24:00
What a spring training it has been? Just when you thought it couldn't get any odder Carlos Delgado gets speared by pieces from a broken bat while leading off third base.Delgado required some stitches but will be fine.That's it. Everyone pack up their bags and head back to New York. It's just not safe in Florida any more. Come home before something crazy happens.At least Pedro pitched well.
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Would the Mets Get Barry Bonds?
2008-03-14 17:02:00
As I sit here in the luxurious Memphis airport (insert sarcasm, here), reading my ESPN the magazine, the craziest of crazy thoughts crossed my mind. Would the Mets actually go get Barry Bonds ?Nah, that's crazy. Right?Yes, it is, but don't put it past a desperate Omar Minaya. The closer it gets to opening day and the more we see that Moises Alou might be out a really long time, and the more we see that our lineup lacks power will force Minaya to look for some help.The idea of getting Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs Crisp for Endy Chavez is ludicrous, but signing Barroid Bonds might not be. He plays left field. Draws a ton of walks. Oh and by the way happens to hit a lot of home runs.I personally wouldn't touch Bonds with a ten foot pole, but don't tell me that the thought hasn't crossed Minaya's mind. The media circus would be insane if Bonds played in New York.I hope it doesn't come to that, but I do think the Mets need another solid power bat this year to be a contender. That is unle...

The Revolving Door in Left Field
2008-03-10 14:43:00
We all knew Moises Alou was going to get hurt at some point this season although I don't think any of us expected it to be in the first two weeks of spring training.So now the loss of Carlos Gomez leaves us with a revolving door in left field. Believe me I'm glad we got Santana for Gomez and pitching prospects, but it does reveal a significant hole in the Mets lineup: lack of outfielders.Fernando Martinez is too young (so the experts say) to be thought of as Alou's replacement. That leaves Endy Chavez as the next best option. I don't mind Endy starting the season in left. I don't think he's an everyday player as he tends to wear down and lose some production when he plays everyday, but he's our best option right now.Then there's the makeshift outfielder option in Marlon Anderson/Damion Easley. Now Anderson played some left field when we first picked him up last season and was hitting the cover off the ball. But of course left field is neither of these guys natural position a...
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Mets to Air All Games in HD
2008-03-06 20:16:00
This is an answer to prayer. I've been whining about the Mets away games not being in HD for the last two seasons and finally my voice has been heard.SNY has announced that all Mets games will be aired in high definition this season. Really was it that hard to get this done?Now we can look forward to seeing Luis Castillo's limp, Jose Reyes' grin, El Duque's non-existent leg kick, Alou's injuries, and Santana's circle change in blazing high def.That is if everyone's not injured by opening day.
More About: Games , All Games

David Wright on ESPN's First Take
2008-03-05 21:59:00
David Wright talks to ESPN about all things Mets including Santana, the collapse, and baseball in general. Is this guy not the new face for MLB or what?
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The Mets Are a Black Cloud
2008-03-05 20:38:00
What on earth is going on in Port St. Lucie?Now Moises Alou is hurt (surprise!). Alou has a strained groin and a sore hip (what is this contagious?), and has been sent back to New York for an MRI.Maybe the Mets players are trying to rack up airline miles to put them in platinum elite status.This is getting ridiculous. Let's tally who's hurt. We've got Delgado, El Duque, Gotay, Church, and Anderson was briefly out.Send Wright, Reyes, and Beltran home right now. Send them to their local batting cages and Gold's Gym to finish their workouts.
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Who's on First?
2008-03-05 19:05:00
Carlos Delgado has a hip injury. He might say it's fine and he feels good, but I guarantee that this is going to come back to bite us at some point during the season.So if Delgado becomes an issue or continues his slump from last year, who is our answer?There isn't an official backup first baseman on the Mets roster. We've got Damion Easley, a makeshift all purpose guy who doesn't really excel at any individual position and is a decent hitter at the plate. He's good for filling in holes, but not a guy I want out there every day.Marlon Anderson is choice number two. I love what he does for us as a pinch hitter and an off the bench kind of guy, but again he's not an every day player in my opinion. He had some success playing every day with the Nationals, but he's not going to give us the production we want from a regular first baseman.After Anderson, there's Abreu and cast of other potential fill ins. Never before have I thought we should have held on to Shawn Green, but it's...