ALL STAR QUICK THOUGHTS

I was going to just mail it in tonight, and save the comments I thought of while driving back home for tomorrow...but then I saw all the hard work the Southern Bureau put in over the weekend while I was gone and I figured I owed it to at least him to write something new.

HOME RUN DERBY: I don't love the Home Run Derby. It's just OK, it runs too long, it's too much Chris Berman, and it makes me think it would be better if it were like the old black and white one-on-one home run derbies the old ESPN Classic used to show about 15+ years ago. But every once in a while it redeems itself, and tonight it was in the person of Josh Hamilton.

Not only is his a great story, but he hit some bombs...and in record-setting fashion in that first round. And seeing the bombs land in places in Yankee Stadium where home runs rarely go was pretty cool.

One thing, though. So he has 95 RBI at the All Star break. His team has played 96 games. That's not like 95 through 81. I feel like this is really late for an All Star Game. Maybe it's been this late before, but let's not make such a big deal that a guy has this many RBI at this point of the season...or at least tell it like it is and say that it's through so many games. Same with Francisco Rodriguez's saves total - it's impressive, but it's not like this is the exact midpoint of the season.

MORE ON TEXAS: I heard a couple of interviews with Ian Kinsler today...for the most part the Texas Rangers seem like a likeable group of guys. This was the same team, remember, that won over Mets fans last month during the rain delay by sliding across the tarp in that game that ended up getting rained out...just seem like a group of guys that enjoy playing ball and being around one another. Just thought I'd mention that.

DAVID WRIGHT, ALL STAR: So obviously I'm thrilled that David Wright was named to the All Star team as an injury replacement. But up until I heard that on Friday, I was thinking that maybe it was a blessing in disguise that Wright wasn't part of the festivities. He has faded the past couple of years (although less so last year), particularly in 2006 after coming in second place in the home run derby. So I thought the rest would do him good. After seeing him named to the team, though, I think he'll be OK - there's no travel involved, with the game in New York, and he's not starting - he's just another player there. So that might prove to be beneficial. And from what I've read, he really wanted to be a part of the game at Yankee Stadium. So I think it'll end up being a good thing.

WE'RE BACK!

What a celebratory night. Not only does future Hall of Famer David Wright put on a fine performance in the Home Run Derby, but the House sponsored by DirecTV has a new hard drive in its computer...and though certain files have been lost (more on that later), we have the internet! So, a recap of all things going on Monday night:

HOME RUN DERBY: Wright came out guns a-blazin' in the first round of the Home Run Derby, hitting 16 homers, the third-highest total for a round ever. He only hit 2 in the second round, but it didn't kill him, because for the first time, this year, baseball went to a cumulative total in the first two rounds to determine the finalists. So Wright advanced to take on Ryan Howard of the Phillies, who also finished with 18 through two rounds. Wright seemed to get a second wind, after being very tired through two rounds, but only managed 4 homers in the final round....Howard got five before he got a sixth out. So Ryan Howard was very impressive in the Home Run Derby, but David Wright made a very good showing, and I would expect him to be invited back...and perform well in the future. Kudos too to Paul LoDuca, who was throwing to Wright during the Derby.

ALL-STAR LEGENDS/CELEBRITY SOFTBALL GAME: There's only one reason this is worth mentioning...and I'll start with a little baseball detectiving. I didn't know who would be playing in this game...and usually I get so tired of Chris Berman and the Home Run Derby that I never even see this game. But three factors led me to be interested in it - 1) David Wright was in the Home Run Derby finals. 2) Berman was tolerable Monday night, perhaps because he was offset by an increased 'Baseball Tonight' crew presence. 3) I figured with the Futures game having been in Pittsburgh on Sunday, when the softball game was taped, and with Hall of Famer Gary Carter managing in that Futures game (he led the American team to a win, incidentally), there was a good chance that Carter would be one of the legends. He was.

And he wasn't only in the game - he was the MVP!!! Classic. He hit a 3-run homer in his first at-bat, and made a very nice tumbling catch in the outfield that pretty much saved the game. I felt like I was 7 years old again watching this game. Also fun to watch - an interview between Gary Carter and Dave Parker, revisiting a play at the plate where Parker nailed Brian Downing, with the tag being applied by Carter, in the 1979 All Star Game. The interesting thing being that in Sports Illustrated's latest issue, the "Where Are They Now?" edition, Dave Parker was featured, and talked about his campaign for the Hall of Fame, in which he exclaims, "Gary (bleepin') Carter is in the Hall of Fame?!?!?!" Nice that he had to sit down and do an interview with Gary (bleepin') Carter.

LAST PLACE LASTINGS: The Norfolk Tides are back to a half-game ahead of Richmond for last place in the International League...but the minor leagues are at their All-Star break. Interestingly, somehow Milledge is not on the All Star team. The only Tide to make the team was pitcher Royce Ring.

BEAT THE STREAK: Travis Hafner got me a hit before the break, so at least when baseball resumes, I'll have one hit in the bag.

LIFE IN GENERAL: Crazy stuff happening at the House sponsored by DirecTV, brought to you by Babies R Us. The Wife and I spent the weekend in New York, attending a baby shower for The Wife. So now the family room, aka the baseball room, aka MY room, is drowning in shower gifts...baby gifts. So now I have to make a nursery appear...to get this stuff out of MY room. It's weird. But we got a bunch of Mets stuff, so that's good. Including a Mets mobile, featuring little Mr. Mets hanging over the crib. I will use that until the baby is born - it plays "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". I will post a picture of it when I have picture-posting capabilities. (Things will be progressing slowly until the computer is back in full functioning mode.)

COMING SOON: Tuesday night I'll recap the All Star game (or at least the Mets' performances in the All Star Game). Then Wednesday I'll begin my 2-day special, reviewing all of the broadcasters in the majors. I was worried I would have to scrap that feature, but I'm actually glad that the Mets have Thursday 0ff, because instead of recapping a Mets game, I'll do the National League broadcasters that night, with the AL ones on Wednesday.

Thanks for your patience through all the computer troubles, and Let's Go Mets in the second half!!

OFF (erman) THEIR GAME

Marlins 7, Mets 3
(FLA: 41-37; NYM: 40-40, 9 GB)

Jose Offerman looks awful at first base. This is what I came away from Saturday's game thinking. Just awful. On a play early in the game, Offerman went to field a throw from across the diamond, and he had the wrong foot on the bag, so he was limiting his stretch. The runner was safe. Then, when the Marlins scored 4 runs in the sixth inning to take the 5-3 lead that would prove to be more than enough for the win, Offerman dropped what should have been an inning-ending double play, instead allowing the inning to continue and the Marlins to score two runs. It should have been 3-3, and Offerman should have scooped the ball, but he dropped it, and the Marlins took a 4-3, then later a 5-3 lead. Jeff Torborg (more on him in a minute) and Kenny Albert talked about how the ball was low and in the dirt, and you can't really blame Offerman, but yes you can. He should have had it.

This was just a very frustrating game to watch, and Offerman by no means deserves all of the blame. Most of it, maybe, but not all of it. Save some for Carlos Beltran******. Unreal. Beltran* pops a ball up to first in the third inning, and is mad at himself, so HE DOESN'T RUN TO FIRST. Carlos Delgado makes a really, really smart play, lets the ball drop, then turns a 3-6-3 double play. I defended Beltran* yesterday. I won't defend him again until he starts putting up some solid numbers. This isn't the first time this year he's dogged it - I remember another time earlier this season. He's making a heck of a lot of money - for him to not run anything out is a disgrace. The announcers (again, more on them later) said Beltran* made up for the mistake by blasting a 2-run double to right in the fifth, giving the Mets a 3-1 lead - but I'm not bought that easily. I hope other Mets fans aren't either.

Kris Benson started this game for the Mets, he was 6-2 coming in. He had never before in his career been 4 games over .500. He has yet to get to 5-over. I always talk about Steve Trachsel never pitching (and possibly never pitching well) in big-game scenarios, and how I worry about that. I don't think it is an issue with Benson. And after Saturday, I still don't think it's a problem. Benson pitched very well in this game, and ran into trouble in the aforementioned sixth inning. He got out of that inning with the score still 3-3, as far as I'm concerned. He got done what he needed to do - his defense let him down. Good outing for Benson.

Royce Ring and Danny Graves let the game get out of hand in the 9th, making it the 7-3 final.

Jeff Torborg should be fired. He is brutal. Every other word out of his mouth is about how he managed the Marlins in 2003, and set the table for them to win the championship. And he's full of excuses about why the Marlins fired him (he had so many guys on the disabled list that year) and why he wasn't successful with the Mets (when Willie Randolph broke his hand in 1993, he was one of 15 surgeries - which is why the Mets didn't play well that year). How about the fact that no one respected you Jeff? And no one still does. He also had the nerve to criticize the ring he got from the Marlins in 2003. Are you kidding?! You don't even deserve a ring - if Jeff Torborg had still been managing the Marlins in 2003, they wouldn't have made the playoffs - let alone win the World Series. I know I'm overly critical of announcers, but Jeff Torborg was brutal Saturday.

The friggin' Nationals won again Sunday, so the Mets, at .500, are now 9 games back. This is getting kind of ridiculous. The Mets are just three and a half games back of the Braves for the wild card, FYI.

The only good thing coming out of Saturday was Cliff Floyd "hosting" 'This Week In Baseball', which means he was involved in a lengthy interview, which was pretty good. But I'm still bothered by the fact that he "really worked hard getting ready for this season", and "it's fun coming to the ballpark, and it makes you want to play your best" - why isn't he working hard getting ready for every season, and why isn't he playing hard all the time. That really upsets me. Also, it was great to hear Dontrelle Willis talk (I'm not going to say Jeanne Zelasko had a great interview with Willis, because she was bad, but he was good) during the pre-game. I like Willis a lot - he's very genuine, and fun to watch talk about baseball - he really enjoys himself when he plays.

I have an e-mail that I'm going to answer before I go:

"Dear JohnnyMets,

A few more All Star game items...

*This time it counts. Don't you think they should change the slogan,
borrowing a page from the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, and
make it This time it still counts. Or It's counting again this time.
Or Please please watch this time?

*Pedro. I hope Pedro forgoes his annual Dominican holiday and pitches
(starts?) for the NL All Stars later this month. I really want to see
him face Manny or Ortiz or both. In fact, I would be fascinated to see
how he'd fare against the Sox, though I'm not sure when NL East faces
the AL East again in interleague. But here's my question: As a Mets
fan, wouldn't you rather see Pedro get some time off? Dude threw 217
innings last year and 186 in '03, plus the postseason in both those
years, which probably brings the total for the last 2 years to 440 or
something like that. That's a lot of pitches.

*HR Derby: This time it's jingoistic. Which do you find more
entertaining --- the annual HR Derby or the All Star game itself?

Signed,

Dave in Brighton"

I have a big problem with "This time it counts". That implies it never counted before. It did, it counted last year. I agree with you. How about, "This time, LaRussa thinks he has a shot at controlling his fate, but this year he's actually going to lose in the first round of the playoffs."

I'm not sure when the AL East faces the NL East, but can you imagine the Boston media when Pedro* comes back to Boston (or Boston goes to Shea). I won't even watch the news that whole month leading up to it. But the Easts should face each other some time during Pedro*'s contract. MLB screwed it up somehow that the divisions don't rotate fairly from year to year, so even though it's been a while since the Mets faced the Red Sox, I don't think it's happening in either of the next two years. I want to say 2008 for some reason. But I could be wrong. As for Pedro* pitching in the All-Star Game, he's not going to be going all out, I don't think....and one inning couldn't hurt....could it? (Frantically searching for some wood to knock on.)

And lastly, I missed the Home Run Derby in 1999, when it was at Fenway Park, because I was working back in New York. Because everyone I knew was here for that, and it was the "greatest Home Run Derby ever", I feel like watching the rest of them will only be anti-climactic. So I don't really watch the Home Run Derby anymore, but I still do enjoy watching the Game. Don't get me wrong - if the Derby is on, I'll watch it, I just don't get excited about it. The game I get a little bit excited about.

THE KID'S KIDS: The Gulf Coast Dodgers beat the Gulf Coast Mets, 12-1. The Mets could only manage 2 hits. 5-2 on the season now.