New York Mess

Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

Here we are again, against the same team and in the same position, fighting for the right to play in the playoffs. Last time the Mets played the Marlins to close out the season, All the Queens Men were shutdown and were stunned to have lost a seven game lead in the National League East to the Phillies.

Unfortunately, Mike Pelfrey and the Mets did not put much of one on Friday. As of late, this team has proved to be a disappointment. They had gone on a tear throughout the whole summer, especially Carlos Delgado, and they seem to get cold feet when September rolls around. Maybe it wasn’t Willie, maybe it is the team itself. They lose that “it” factor when its time to get serious about contending.

Tonight was a must win for this ballclub. They have failed. They are now one game behind the Brewers for the Wild Card and the Phillies have two more games before they can actually call themselves NL East Champions. And the news does not get any better.

The Mets do not know who is pitching tomorrow. Judging by the 6-1 loss Friday night, they might as well throw in Johan Santana to see if he can keep this sinking ship afloat.

Once again, the bullpen cannot keep the game close as Aaron Heilman, Brian Stokes and unknown Bobby Parnell double up the score to 6-1 from 3-1. They also gave up a combined four walks, something that the other four pitchers did not do coming out of the ’pen.

On the so-called offenset, they only manged one run on seven hits. That run came in the sixth where Brian Schneider knocked in Ramon Martinez. That’s it. No Jose Reyes as he went 0 for 5, already on pace to repeat his performance from the end of last year. This guy is clearly the catalyst on top of the lineup. Obviously, if he does not get going, no one else will. At this point, those 200+ hits do not mean anything if his team cannot manage to win important ballgames.

Delgado, regarded to some as an MVP candidate (I use that term loosely), left four runners on base and only managed one hit. Everyone has their off game. Besides, he is not the only source of offense, but is a BIG reason why they are still contending.

Overall, another disappointing game. There are two games left. But now that they want to get back on top of that mountain, it might be too late.

Mets Vs. Phillies Series Preview: The Battle For First

Cartoon courtesy of Metstoday.com

With a season filled with coaching changes, clutch players landing on the disabled list and still, someway some how the New York Mets have climbed their way from disappointing bottom dwellers to tasting the sweet delight of first place. As of right now, they are tied with the Phillies for first. That will all change when these two teams meet up in a three game series at Shea to determine, at least for now, who is the true beast of the East.

Johan Santana, who did not look like the two-time Cy Young winner the Mets had hoped for, will go against newly acquired right hander Joe Blanton from the A’s. Come Tuesday night, we will see which pitcher was worth getting. The rest of the series puts a shaky John Maine against Brett Myers, who has lost his last six decisions (0-3) and the inconsistent Oliver Perez going against the ageless Jamie Moyer. They dodge a bullet by not facing their ace, Cole Hamels in this series, who is 5-1 with a 3.27 ERA against them. But on the other hand, Pedro Martinez will not be making an appearance due to a groin injury.

The road was not easy for the Mets, they had to win 10 straight before anyone could consider them contenders within the division. They have found unlikely heroes in Fernando Tatis and Damian Easley as well as the revival of Carlos Delgado to lead the team. Who can forget Jose Reyes who has stepped up and has an average of .325 with 15 RBI’s since the firing of Willie. But this is not the only reason why the Mets are in this position.

The bullpen had been a bakery during this streak, constantly making them doughnuts for 22 innings until it was snapped on Friday. Sadly, the crown jewel of the pen, Billy Wagner, will most likely miss Tuesday’s opener. He will be getting an MRI on his shoulder.

If it wasn’t their suddenly high powered offense or the lights out pitching, there was another factor that has contributed to their rise…resistance. In the month of July alone, they have four come from behind wins, three of which came within the winning streak.

Here come the Phills with their thunder. A lineup that is packed with Ryan Howard, an athlete who no doubt is going to go down as one of the best home run hitter, but also is a strikeout artist, Chase Utley (the power hitting second baseman) and Pat Burrell (built his career off of being a “Met Killer” with 42 career home runs when facing them).

In order to complete their mission to completely dethrone them, the Mets have to hope that their team clicks at the right moment. They have their top pitcher on the mound tonight and should give the team some momentum to win the series. They are 7-3 against Philadelphia this year including taking three of four in the last meeting. There might be five more games left to take on their division rivals, but the time is now to act if they are serious about post-season play.

Mets Awaken From Their Slumber, Beat Down Rockies 9-2

Box Score - Courtesy of MLB.com

It’s about time! Finally, the Mets show signs of life after looking as if they were in a five game coma since their two game sweep against the Yankees last weekend. For those keeping count at home, they have lost 5 straight games, which includes a sweep from their NL East rivals, the Braves and a heartbreaking loss to the Rockies last night.

Saturday afternoon proved that they have just opened up their eyes. They scored five runs in the first inning, something that took them 13 innings to do the night before. The un-official spokesperson for the Mets, David Wright hit his 9^th home run in the second inning. With the media constantly obtaining quotes from the third baseman, he looks like he is the un-named captain of the team, something I believe that will change in the future.

The offense was led by an unusual suspect, a Double-A first baseman by the name of Nick Evans. He was brought up and was placed in an already thin outfield with the likes of Church and Alou out with their injuries. He went 3-for-4 with three doubles and knocked in two. Maybe Evans has talent…or…if you’re a baseball junkie and know that Coors Field is notorious for its thin air, then you probably suspect the same thing as yours truly. I wouldn’t doubt that could be the case.

Fans watching the game were probably expecting Jason Vargas to get completely obliterated by the Rockie offense and for another bad outing from another unstable pitcher. He delivered a much needed W, pitching seven innings, while giving up the only two runs of the game on a blast from slugger Matt Holiday. With a pitching staff that has only two consistent starters in Maine and Santana, this is considered patchwork. Remember, Nelson Figueroa came up shutting down hitters in his debut on that foggy night. After he had pitched a good number of games, he came down from cloud 9 and has fallen back down to the minors.

The reality is, the Mets have to start shopping around for another starter. Possibly get some bargain bits in Barry Zito or possibly Roy Oswalt, who have been struggling to get anything going this season. Not to glorify Rick Peterson as so many have done in the past, but the guy knows how to mold damaged goods. Example? Maine.

In the dugout, after Carlos Delgado belted a shot to right center field in the ninth, I had seen something that I haven’t seen much of this week; a smile. The last few days, this team has been looking un-animated, unenthusiastic about their job, almost as if the trip to Atlanta absorbed their confidence and replaced it with depression. Finally, some sun is starting to shine on this ballclub but…hey, they still have a long way to go before they are once again considered to be contenders.

Photos courtesy of espn.com

Pedro Hanging Up His Cleats???

Picture courtesy of NYDailynews.com

In a story reported from the New York Daily News, Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez is contemplating retirement to spend more time with his ailing father.

This comes weeks before he is scheduled to come back and help the disappointing Mets back on their road to the top of the NL East. His team is in desperate need of pitching and he could be the solution to their rotation woes.

But should give it all up? Of course, it is not our decision to make. But if his career were to be in our hands, should we let him call it quits?

He has already established himself as one of the most dominating pitchers of the 90s and helped the 86 year old World Series drought with the Red Sox. With multiple Cy Young Awards and 3,000 strikeouts under his belt, there is no real reason for him to pitch anymore. Impressive, don't you think?

Over the last four years, he has accumulated a 27-17 record for the Mets, which isn't a lot of games in that long amount of time.

Still at the tender age of 36, which is pretty young for a player these days (even with injuries), I think he has plenty left in the tank. He could reach 250 career wins before his career is all said and done, even possibly get another 500 K's to his resume.

Martinez's blazing fastball is no more. It doesn't even go past 90. But he does have breaking pitches that leave hitters befuddled and confused. Its a shame that his father is in an ill condition but I wish he could give the Mets a bit more.

This is a reminder that before everything comes family and I for one say that he should spend more time with his family because those are things that as human beings cherish more than a ballgame.

Battle of NY

Well ladies and gents, its that time of the year again. The New York Mets will take on their cross-town rival the New York Yankees. Let the smack talk begin.

So far, the Mets are 26-39 against the Bombers, including the 2000 World Series (one to forget). Talk about an ugly record. Well, a large factor in this record included the fact that in 2003, they were swept in both series. If not, the record would even out a bit.

Both teams are sinking ships as neither are in first. This makes a good match-up, since they are hungry to become top dog of their division. They will both sport their aces, but on different days.

Here are the pitching match-ups for this weekend:

Friday: Johan Santana Vs. Darrell Rasner
Its the ace against the recently brought up youngster, who has discovered some kind of a groove. While most people would favor the team with the two time Cy Young winner, Rasner has won both of his starts since coming from the minors. He's stuck on cloud nine and I think its about time that the Metropolitans bring him back down to earth. Santana is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA against the Yanks. I give this game Queens.


Saturday: Oliver Perez Vs. Andy Pettitte
Its number 46 against... number 46? Petttitte and Perez should be considered mirror images of each other. They both bear the same jersey and are both lefties that are in-the-middle starters. Heck, they are even sporting similar records (Pettitte 3-4, Perez 3-3) and even ERA's (4.60, 4.61). Creepy. This is too close to call as both of them are in a rut that they can't get out of. The only difference is one win by Perez last start against the Reds. But, going by the career numbers, Pettitte owns the Mets, going 7-3 in 16 appearances. I do not think the boss would be happy with two losses in a row. This one belongs to the Bronx.

Sunday: John Maine Vs. Ching Ming Wang
Well, if my assumptions are right, the rubber match-up should be one for the ages. Here we have the top dog of the Yankees, going against the second best pitcher in the rotation for the Mets. Wang has been near perfect, the only blemish has been a loss given up to Cleveland going against another undefeated hurler, Cliff Lee. Maine has won four straight decisions and is definitely the guy they want to have on the mound against the Yankee's Cy Young candidate. This is no doubt going to be a duel. Throwing away those career numbers against the teams (Maine has not faired well against the Pinstriped Posse), I think i'm going to go with the Mets because, as of late, it seems like there has been a fire that has been lit in that clubhouse.

Sure, they have the worst record of the two, but they have a potent offense that is packed with home run hitters (Church, Betran, Delgado...[this one is a stretch]) hitters that pack a punch (Alou, you are going to love Yankee Stadium.) The Yankees do not have much going for them as A-Rod and Jorge Posada are out and without them, the lineup does not feel the same. Jeter, Abreu and Matsui cannot do everything themselves. Their homegrown talent, Robinson Cano and Shelly Duncan have not lived up to expectations. The only man the Mets should fear this series is the man they simply call Joba. He is a stopper. But that is a story for another time.

In general, this should be an amazing series that will bring the city to life, Bringing out those fans who come out to see the two home teams battle it out for Big Apple Supremacy.

pictures courtesy of sportslogos.net

Revamed Metiverse

Well, I know I have not posted since last week. Hopefully, I will continue to give you my comments as well as news that I hear.

I am also planning a re-launch of the blog. It's going to be more bigger and better than before. This is coming soon, there is no set date. Stay tuned!

FEATURE: The Real Stars of Shea

One of the most interesting and eeriest experiences I have had in my life. That is one way to describe being in an empty Shea Stadium.

Why was I there? Well, I was thinking us fans always get to hear about the players and coaches who go in and out, playing a grueling 162 game schedule. But what about the people who help run the Stadium? People like the beer man, the security all work for the Mets, making sure that everything runs smoothly.

Outside, there are many workers waiting until they get to work. Its amazing how many people work there. The numbers has to be at least in the hundreds. Talk about strength in numbers. As I went through the halls, I see people standing on a line to check in. Everyone looked kind of exhausted.

These people run around constantly for three-plus hours, serving fans, sometimes from great heights. Its not fun running around, carrying a big cooler full of beer from the upper deck, trying to avoid looking down at all costs.

As I walked through the halls of the pre-game version of Shea, it felt really quiet…too quiet. Maybe this is what it’s going to feel like when they open Citi Field for the first time.

A couple of employees took time out of their day to stop and talk about what they do and other good stuff.

When asked about what was their favorite moment, most of the employees instantly remember Endy Chavez’s Superman catch in the 2006 National League Championship Series against the Cardinals…And what a spectacle it was.

Video: Endy Chavez's leaping catch

At first there weren’t many people who wanted to talk to me as they looked busy getting ready for the game that night but I managed to find Frank, a bartender for 10 years at the stadium, Alicia, a lotto ticket vendor and Elias, a vendor who has been a part of the Shea experience for two seasons already. All these individuals seem to enjoy what they do to make a living.

ALICIA

Lotto Vendor

Mike, a alcohol inspector, is supposed to make sure that the employees selling alcohol are doing their job. This is his third season.


Just to give u a preview of what they do. Lets look at opening day where security was working even the rooftops of Shea to make sure everything is ok (WARNING:UNCENSORED Language)



At that game, I remember security guards taking out people left and right for bad behavior. Here is a soft version of what security can do.

Finally, don’t ask how I got in, it’s best not to say anything. Let’s put it this way, yours truly almost was going to be mince meat if I was caught. Just enjoy!

Endy Chavez footage courtesy of MSN.com

This Week in Baseball History: Strawberry's Debut

May 6, 1983 The debut of a superstar... Darryl Strawberry. This is the debut of one of the Mets many great legends.

Sure, he was troubled throughout his career, but when he was playing , he was simply amazing. When the Mets were on the road, the fans tried to annoy the slugger with the chant....Darrrrylllll.....Darryyllll. Very funny stuff.

There was an article on him marking his 25th anniversary of his debut. I figure, why not show his career numbers and see if he is Hall of Fame bound.


335 HR
1000 RBI's
221 SB
898 R

Keep in mind, this is over a 17 year career. This is what he has to offer and I believe they should give him a shot in the future eventhough he has struck out over 1000 times and has a career average of .259.

In Conclusion, I say Darryl has had his share of troubles, but he deserve this honor and go into Cooperstown as a Met.

picture of courtesy of mets.com

Perez Gets Pulverized, Mets Lose 5-1

METS 1 5 1
Dodgers 5 7 0



OK, call a doctor, I think there is something wrong with Oliver Perez. He has given up too many runs to count over his last three starts. However, I counted and found out that he has given up 17 runs over his last 3 starts and 12 were earned...sad...Something has to be done before we end up having a 20-game loser in the rotation. He gave up three homers, even one to Blake DeWitt. Who? Exactly.

The bats aren't looking so good as well. The only run of the game came from the Mosies Alou, who has picked up the bat as if he had never left. He hit a double, knocking in Carlos Beltran. I know for a fact that this offense is more potent than this. Who in the world is Chad Billingsley? Sure he is doing pretty decent, but he's no Cy Young candidate.



I think now is a good time to start wondering what the **** is going on here!? THIS IS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR TEAM! They should be on top with the talent that they have. Enough of this. Its time to get a win streak going. This year is the year that they have to step up.

courtesy of espn.com

Irrate Pirates Stomp the Mets

Pirates 13 12 0
METS 1 2 3


What happened? Last time I checked, you need to be good to be playing in the major leagues. Maybe they should give a special test to the Mets, who seemed to be sleep deprived or had something else going through their heads as they lost BIG TIME to the Pirates 13-1. Some way to get revenge from the previous night.

Even prior to the game, there was a pipe problem at Citi/Shea territory that delayed the game for 40 minutes! Nothing seemed to be going right for in Flushing to begin with. Let's go ahead and recap this atrocious game.

The always unpredictable Oliver Perez was unstable and not the type of pitcher the team wanted to see that afternoon. He only lasted 1.2 innings and gave up 5 walks. Although he gave up 2ER's, they were part of the seven runs he gave up before he called it a day.

Nelson Figueroa picked up where Perez left off and performed 3-plus innings of magic, only one run given up. Then...here comes the sour part of the bullpen. Jorge Sosa gives up 5 runs, four unearned and the game is put away for good.

Tim Gorzelanny prevented the Mets from scoring anything, until he hurt his back. Blessing in disguise? I don't think so. They only managed one run. It came from a double from Ryan Church that scored Carlos Beltran. That was it.


What's missing? That's right the supposed defense of the Mets. I saw Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes were not on the same page as they let a runner advance during a run down. NO ONE WAS COVERING SECOND!!! JOSE!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!

Now the Mets face a red hot Diamondback team that has the best record in baseball and are going against their three aces. This situation does not look so bright right now. But who knows? anything can happen.

pictures courtesy of ESPN.com

Mets Win One Against Bucs

Pirates 4 8 1
METS 5 9 1

Johan Santana might have pitched a gem Tuesday night, but it was not enough to put the Pirates away for good. He struck out seven in 5.2 innings, but it was the unlikely duo of Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner who gave up the two runs to tie the game at four. This is a bit of a disappointment but they are only human, right?

But David Wright, the Mets pride and joy, hit a long single towards right field and former Met Xavier Nady could not reach it in time, scoring Endy Chavez. How clutch is Mr. Wright? The bases were loaded in 11th inning, the perfect time to get the clutch hit.

Oh, and for those Ryan Church fans, be glad, as he hit his third home run of the season. There is something special about right field....





pictures courtesy of ESPN.com

Mets rained out on Monday, Santana Start Moved To Tonight

Perfect start to the series...a washout. Well, this gives Johan Santana the opportunity to get 5 days of rest before taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nothing better than a rested ace.

He and the Mets are going to face Ian Snell. Snell is a righty that has a 2-1 record with a 4.45 era. This is not a good match-up even though he has a high ERA. Snell had only given up a run and struck out 10.

There is a good sign as he only lasts about six innings before calling it a day. So if the Mets can force him out of the game early with a high pitch count, they should be ok.

Look out for Delgado, he hit 2 homers on Sunday, he could be on to something.

Picture courtesy of MLB.com
Video

4/21-4/27 Player of the Week: Johan Santana

There hasn't been that real shining star this week, but one performance stands out among the rest. and that is...

Johan Santana
7.0 Innings
7 H
2 R
2 ER
4 K
2-2, 2 doubles, Walk

Against Washington, the left handed stud pitched his heart out, recording 7 innings and striking out four to get the win against the Nationals.

He also did it with the bat. He went 2 for 2 that same game, including two doubles and a walk .

The man can do it all and thats why he deserves POTW honors. Congratulations Mr. Santana.

Runner Up
Carlos Beltran 1 Hr, 4 RBI's

Past Winners
Jose Reyes 4/14 - 4/20

pictures courtesy of espn.com

Mets Beat Braves in Rubber Game

Braves 3 9 0
METS 12 9 0

The Mets beat the Braves and took two of three in the weekend series. The matchup was more in favor of the Atlanta Braves, who sent smoking hot John Smoltz to the mound against Cinderella himself, Nelson Figueroa. At the end of the day, it was Cinderella who found his glass cleat.

Figueroa pitched 5.1 innings and gave up all three of the runs on seven hits. It was not perfect but it was enough to get the W. The 33 year old wonder has shocked Met fans with how well he has pitched in the first three games of his season.

The bullpen was pheonmenal. Not a single run given up by the clean up men. Even Schoeneweis, who is not really the creme de la creme, managed to pitch a scoreless inning.

In came in Billy Wagner, who came into the game to close. It was his sixth of the year.


On the offensive side, Carlos Delgado sent two balls out of the park with a pair of solo shots; one in the third and one in the seventh. The fans wanted the big guy to come out for a curtain call, but he decided not to because he didn't deserve it. I would have done it, even if it were my only two hits of the season. That was a sign of disrespect to the fans. I hope he doesn't act like that again.

pictures courtesy of espn.com

Now Batting Number two....

Coach Willie Randolph seems to be following a baseball converted formula of former Knicks Coach Larry Brown as of late as he has shuffled the lineup so dramatically, the team cannot establish its identity. What's to blame? Injuries

When Luis Castillo was hurt, he alternated Ryan Church and Angel Pagan in the two hole providing some needed pop behind the speedy Reyes. But as he got healthy, Randolph put him back in the two hole and the team has not been the same since April 20th. Here is the breakdown of numbers for the two hole this season.
Just food for thought, the two hole is generally the area where the perfect hybrid of speed and contact are found ex. Derek Jeter.

Angel Pagan
.437 (7-16) (3-1 team record)

Ryan Church
.380 (8-21) (5-0 team record)

Luis Castillo
.230 (9-39) (2-8 team record)



Well, as you can see, Castillo isn't a real catalyst. Yet, inexplicably he gets placed at the top of the order. Chruch should be the first candidate to put on there since the Mets have the most success with him batting there. However, Pagan would easily provide more speed to the top of the lineup.


Wille has to wake up and realize that the Mets need replace their second baseman 's batting spot. Give it to someone more youthful , that can drive runs as well as score when the ball is hit. Hope your listening...



Pictures from yahoo! sports

Alou Coming Soon?

Yes, we have not heard of this name in a long time. Thats because Mosies Alou was hurt to begin the season with a hernia. The injury bug has bitten Alou and he was scheduled to come back in May. But on Tuesday, he went 2 for 7 in an extended rehab stint for the veteran outfielder. It is assumed he will return to the major league squad as soon as the end of this week (Link).

This brings a whole new conflict on who is going to play what part of the outfield? Here are all the outfielders who are on the main roster as of 4-23-08:

Carlos Beltran
Angel Pagan
Ryan Church
Endy Chavez
Brady Clark
Marlon Anderson*

*Infielder as well

Now where Alou fits in this mess is Willie decision to make. If I were the skipper, I would send down two outfielders because it is seriously becoming a team full of outfielders. What ever happened to just carrying 4?

The only two outfielders who I consider are everyday players are Beltran in center and Church in right. But what about left field?

We can easily weed out Anderson since he's mr. utility. Chavez doesn't seem to have the same magic from 2006. That leaves Clark and Pagan...OK Pagan deserves it out of all of these (what I believe are) bums. The numbers don't lie. But amazingly, it will not matter as Alou will most likely overshadow the young talent and jump right into the lineup. So much for Pagan.

4/13-4/20 Player of the week: Jose Reyes

Jose has been swinging a hot bat lately, ever since he came back from his injury and has returned to the ways of old. All he needed was a pep talk from Carlos Beltran to get a shot in the arm (hopefully not literally). In that time he has went from slump to superstar once again, hitting .428 for the week and here is the rest of the stat sheet:

.428 avg (12-28)
2 Home Runs
2 Triples
2 Doubles
7 Runs
2 Stolen Bases

His highlight game was on April 15 against the Nationals. he hit 4 hits in that game including one double and one triple.

Getting his first two homers and adding two more base steals proves why he is the player of the week. Congratulations.


picture courtesy of: espn.com, mets.com

Jackie Robinson Day At Shea

Complete MLB Coverage
Video: Press Conference

Today is a very special day, even more special than the actual Mets-Nationals game later tonight. Because tonight is the night that they honor the legend, Jackie Robinson.

The fans will be in for a treat as all the players will be donning on the retired number 42. The scorecard should be interesting to fill out. (Ex. 42 scores in....42?) They did this last year all around the majors. The Metropolitan should be honored to participate in something this special.

But thats not all...



The Mets also showed their affection by unveiling the new Jackie Robinson Rotunda that will be apart of the new Citi Field in 2009.

The following was said by the Mets COO Jeff Wilpon:

"Remember, our blue and orange is from the Dodgers and the Giants. We understand our place in National League history."

Yes... indeed, the spirit of Jackie Robinson still lives on through the players, coaches and fans.

Just for fun: TRIVIA!
Who is the only active player in the majors to wear number 42?

Pictures courtesy of MLB.com, Newsday and Weblog.muledesign.com

Duaner Sanchez on the Road Back to the Mets

After over a year of absence, the Mets could be getting their 7th inning guy back very soon. Duaner Sanchez has finally pitched back to back games in the minors.

He pitched for the AAA ballclub, The New Orleans Zephyrs and performed exceptionally. He did not give up any runs in any of his outings and struck out one on Saturday.

The last time he pitched was in 2006, the year the Mets made it to the playoffs.

In 49 games, the right hander went 5-1 with a beautiful 2.60 ERA. He almost struck out a batter per game with his 44Ks.

If he comes back and pitches this nasty, there is no reason why the Mets wouldn't be a favorite in the east.

With the Mets' bullpen woes these days, they can use any help they can get. Their 'pen currently consists of:

Scott Schoeneweis
Joe Smith
Jorge Sosa
Arron Heilman
Billy Wagner (Closer)
Pedro Feliciano


The numbers say that the bullpen is doing exceptional. But outcasts like reliever Sosa (6.23 ERA) and setup-man Heilman (6.23 ERA) stick out like sore thumb. The numbers do not reflect the performance that I have seen from the hurler as Schoeneweis and Smith are both inconsistent. That leaves only Feliciano and Wagner as the only stable parts of the bullpen. They are in need of that consistent reliever that can come out and help hand the ball to Wagner. All signs point to Sanchez.

The Met Experience: Brewers Vs. Mets April 11

Brewers 2 2 2
METS 4 8 1

Well I was blessed enough to get two dollar tickets for Shea through a couple of coworkers. Much thanks to them.

Just to let you know, the upper deck seats were considered to be a non-alcoholic area. I enjoyed the seats a whole lot. I can't complain since I could see the field. (Sorry no picture.)

Wait, I retract that statement. The fog was really unpleasant. I felt as if I was watching the game through a foggy mirror. Not the best thing for the eyes.

Key Players of the Game


As for the game itself, Brooklyn native Nelson Figueroa pitched lights out baseball against the Brew crew. The Mets won the game 4-2. Figueroa, not likely to have this start again, dazzled and displayed his pitching brilliance through struck out six in six innings of work. He also had a no-hitter going, which kind of annoyed me when random people started to pay attention to his stat line. Oh! So close!



There was another homecoming as 35 year old catcher Raul Cassanova got a RBI in the game. He has played with the organization before. This was another unexpected performance from a lackluster ball player. But the effort is greatly appreciated. He finished 1 for 3.

MLB Video Recap

Jose No Longer the Rey-es of light?

What is up with Jose Reyes? He has continued his slump from last season and has also slowed down on the base pads. He got hurt on April 11^th against the Brewers hitting himself into a bases loaded double play. Tough Break.

Lets take a look at his career numbers for Stolen Bases

2003: 13*

2004: 19*

2005: 60

2006: 64

2007: 78

2008: 01+

* = DNP full season

+ = Current Season

Before he got injured, he only managed one stolen base. That first stolen base came in a double steal with David Wright on April 10^th against the Phillies. That’s eight games into the season, the worst of his career.

Quick Fact: He attempted to steal in the first game of the season but was gunned down at second. Not a good way to start the season when he stole almost 80 last year.

Now with this injury, it does not look bright for the young shortstop. His wheels are his main asset and there has to be a way to make sure that the Mets keep his legs fresh and healthy to steal a ton of bases in the future.

Photo Credited to: MLB.com

The Met Experience: Opening Day At Shea

The Following is real footage and comments that I encountered during the day at Shea. I would just like to add that this was an interesting experience. It would have been more special if they won the game. Well Here it goes....

I caught the local transportation to the stadium. I barely made it on time. To my surprise...lots of people. I should have came earlier.

I arrive at the stadium at around 1240, and the placed is packed. I am surrounded by too many met fans. Even the cars fill up every inch of the lot.

Lots of Santana jerseys out here. I guess the other 24 players don’t matter.


There are met fans screaming "lets go Mets" and "f*** the Phillies." There was one fan who climbed the stairs in each floor. Starting chants. Too bad i could not get it on camera.

Even the nosebleeds are taken up. Wow was i lucky. Still feels like it cost too much.

They have a makeshift store outside of the stadium. Perfect for those who want to spend their money on stuff they don’t need.

Just noticed they have a countdown until Citi Feld. 81 home games. Wow. Seemed so far away but after looking at that, its just next year. It could be more if we make the playoffs.

The national Anthem was nice. Even those loud jets made an appearance. Didn't like that part as I thought I went partially deaf.

1st
Ryan Howard fouled off a ball....BOO! That met fan cant catch.

Moyer is delaying the inevitable. Throwing to first. Calling time w catcher to mound.
2nd
Solo double play w Delgado. Feiliz grounded out to first then he tagged the runner.

They should give Delgado a new song. Its getting old. But hey that homer still looked fresh. His first of the season. He has a avg over 350.

Church already has five rbi’s on the season. And a hr. I like, I like.

4th
Howard struck out w runner on first on a full count.

Phillies collide in the outfield. The center field made the out.

Delgado got a single. He's on fire.

Pagan gets on base.

5th
Castillo taken out for Easley? Seriously Puzzling.

Fight on the third base side. Again, I appologize, no footage. But who would want to be embarrassed like that?


6th
Fan to Utley: go for the hat trick. A man in front of me said “Hit him again.” lol

Balk by Perez. Do not agree with this call. . And so ends the day for perez. 5.2 inn 2Ks. It wasn’t that bad of a start.

Enter joe smith. Brace yourself
“Your not a major leaguer Joe!“ a Met fan said. I beg to differ. He got out of the jam.

Two men in blue blazers and orange ties came to our level. They looked like twins. So many people dressing up. I even saw Pinman. All that’s missing is the one, the only, Cow-Bell MANNNN!

“When did they get that apple?” Easily quote of the day.

7th
I counted four fights as of this inning. The guy next to me said that this does not usually happen. Some guy in an army SD hat got tossed. Good riddance!


Guy next to me is blowing up a beach ball. Just punched it to his right.

8th
Two more runs for the Phils...some home opener. All hail horrible Heilman.

People are leaving as I write this sentence.

They played this song "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. I rather have Sweet Caroline right about now.

I went down to see my friend Andrea aka Ultimate Met fan and she had better seats than me. They were located on the Mezzanine third base side. Not bad. Personally, I'm not complaining as my seats were pretty good for upper deck. Still those 35 bucks are a hole in my pocket.

Mets Lose Home Opener to Rival Phillies

The Mets can't buy a win. Especially with that bullpen, that gave up all the runs that put ahead the Phils 5-2.





The only form of offense came from Carlos Delgado as he belted one into the Mets bullpen to put his team up 2-0. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. I thought it would be smooth sailiing from here... Wrong....





If it wasn't for those meddeling Phillies, who scored three in the seventh and two in the eighth, the season would look a lot more brighter right now.





Speaking of bright, Oliver Perez pitched his heart out. He did ran into some trouble in the first couple of innings and was forced out of the game in the sixth when he was throwing a bit erradically. He recorded 2 K's and gave up three hits. Careful "Oli," your potential is showing.





The Bullpen on the other hand, is looking like a nightmare...and that is putting it in lighter terms. Between Schocenweis, Mota and Heliman, they gave up the five runs to ruin a beautiful day.





Truly, this is a celebration gone sour.


pics courtesy of ESPN.com

The Opening Day Experience

Yes guys, I went earlier today to the last home opener at Shea Stadium. Even though we lost, I had a blast. It was an unforgettable experience. Sadly it will be my first and last home opener at the stadium. I didnt want it to end with a loss but What can you do? I will post tons of media as soon as I can. Apparently, I dont have a USB to plug in my handy dandy phone. You guys will just have to wait and see...

Mets Vs. Phillies Preview and Prediction

Here is the day all of you local fans have been waiting for. The final Mets home opener. Its a perfect setting for the perfect opponents...The Philadelphia Phillies.

Remember? those same Phillies that told the whole Metiverse that they are the true team to beat? The same team that took the rightful spot of the Mets on top of the NL East? Those same Phils that were eliminated in the first round against the Rockies? yeah, I bet all of you enjoyed that.

Now its 2008, a fresh start to an old rivalry. Here are the new acquisitions for the opposition:

Brad Lidge
Pedro Feliz
Geoff Jenkins

Personally, Jenkins is the only true Met Killer. Every time I see him, he destroys them. Feliz will bring his depressing average to shea and will probably not amount to much.

What else can we say about Brad Lidge, the former Astro who gave up that HR to Pujols in the 2004 playoffs. He has not been the same since. No worries. We don't have to worry about these three.



Lets make some predictions:

Oliver Perez V. Jamie Moyer

The way Perez was pitching against the Marlins, he seemed like a Cy Young candidate. But that was a weak lineup filled with youngsters. This is a lineup that is packed with power hitters like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and 2007 MVP Jimmy Rollins. He might struggle but this is the last home opener at Shea, they have to win. Besides, its against Moyer, a 40-plus year old pitcher with a 5 plus ERA, cannot dominate the Mets. METS WIN 7-3

Mike Pelfrey V. Kyle Kendrick

Pelfrey's first start of the season. Gulp. If anything, this will come down to which offense will outslug the other. I have to admit, there is very little confidence on the once promising youngster. Let's hope he can prove me wrong. Until then, I say the Phillies get through this one.
PHILLIES WIN 10-7

John Maine V. Adam Eaton
The rubber match. Adam Eaton is no ace. He has struggled throughout his career as a Padre and in Philadelphia. I believe that Maine will bounce back from his terrible Turner Field start. With the home crowd behind him, he will be unstoppable.
METS WIN 5-3

REMINDER: SPECIAL SURPRISE LATER TODAY!

The Florida Experience Part Deux

I've been meaning to post these pictures up from my friend's Florida trip. This is the continuation of opening day. As you can imagine, this must have been the coolest experience that not only a Met fan, but a baseball fan in general. I even have the official game sheet here. So, Enjoy the pictures.










P.S. I have a special treat tommorrow. Stay tunes to what it might be. I can tell u this is really big!