A ROCKIES START

Tuesday night's game is in progress as I write this, and things aren't going well at the moment. Kaz Ishii + Coors Field = Trouble for the Mets.

I did want to post something, though, before bed, and there's an e-mail, so I'll get to that.

"Dear JohnnyMets,

Thank you for the reminder that this week marked David Wright's first
year in the majors. According to espn.com, his 162-game doubles total
is 41. I'm afraid it doesn't bode well for a happy ending to the
recently reborn Wright Watch.

My question this week has to do with Tom Glavine. He picked up a win
over the struggling Padres this week, to even his record at 7-7. He's
got a 4.62 ERA in 115 IP this season, and 51 Ks against 46 BBs.

In his 2-and-a-half years as a Met, he is 27-35, a .435 winning
percentage, compared to his carrer mark of .602 (269-178). Against the
Braves, through whom the Mets must go to make the playoffs/WS, he is
1-8 with a 7.85 ERA in 55 IP.

The three-year deal signed in 2002 was worth $35M, with a 4th year
option worth $7.5M based on IP. It's option year is based on a
complicated formula, but basically he needs to throw 200 IP this year
or 600 over the life of the deal. He's close to hitting those marks,
but may fall a bit short.

I was wondering if you think Glavine was a good signing. Please base
on your answer on statistics and value, not the fact that you're a
shameless Mets apologist.

Love your show,
Dave in Brighton"

OK, Dave. At least this "shameless Mets apologist" knows when to use an apostrophe in "its" (fourth graf) and can spell "career" (third graf). I'll chalk it up to an absurd lack of sleep around the time this e-mail was written. Also - I'm apalled at the negativity towards the David Wright doubles record.

Anyway, funny you mention the apologist factor. I know I'm very, very optimistic when it comes to most things Mets, but in late 2002, when the Mets signed Tom Glavine and Cliff Floyd, I was down on both signings. I think I've written that before about Glavine, and I felt he was starting to prove me wrong, and that it was a great signing, a year ago. Of course, last year Glavine was simply better than the year before, which is not saying a whole lot. And this year it's been even worse than the first year. So, no, I don't like the Glavine signing, and I can honestly say I never have.

I remember being in New York when the Mets signed the Glavine deal, and I said to my dad and my sister's boyfriend that this is the type of deal the Mets make where they take a Hall of Famer and turn him into a bust. (Not the statue kind of bust.) In other words, Tom Glavine is the exact reason why Pedro Martinez* and Carlos Beltran* have asterisks this season...and why Beltran still deserves his.

I have no real ability to prove to you that I hated the Glavine deal from day one. But I hope you trust the johnnymets.blogspot.com word.

WRIGHT WATCH:
SECOND HALF: 4 SEASON TOTAL: 26 (tied for sixth in the league) TEAM RECORD: 44

ELTRAN*S: (through Monday's game) 12-42 (.286) 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 Runs, 1 SB

THE KID'S KIDS: Looks like another rainout for the Gulf Coast Mets - a doubleheader rained out. Still 18-8 on the season, 4 games up.