HOT STOVE TALK

A bunch of different topics on my mind today, all revolving around the Phillies' World Series championship and the Mets' off-season:

1) Jimmy Rollins has about as much class as the Phillies fans. During the parade celebration, he took a shot at the Mets, saying Johan Santana is a good pitcher...but it takes more than one player to win a championship - it takes a team. Of course, he got the rise out of the crowd he wanted - they booed at the mention of the Mets and Santana. Rollins is a showman and a pot-stirrer, and he does these things in a mostly good-natured way (he was smirking as he said these things, knowing what the reaction would be)...but the Mets had better not be laughing about it. And come Wednesday, May 6, 2009, when Jimmy Rollins leads off for the Phillies at Citi Field, whoever is pitching had better give him something high and tight. And I hope he charges the mound. Because it's about time the Mets started playing with some kind of fire - and had other teams hate them for a reason other than their showboating with nothing to show for it. By the way, nothing Rollins said was wrong - I just don't like the forum he chose to take a shot at his division rival.

2) That said, if I'm Jerry Manuel, I'm playing that tape of Jimmy Rollins at the parade before every game next season. Because to me, that means that the Mets are ensconsed in the heads of the Phillies. They're at the pinnacle of thier sport, and what's one of the things on their mind? The Mets. That's good news for me as a Mets fan. To me, it means in the back of their minds, the Phillies know that the Mets are still their biggest competition, and maybe, but for other circumstances, it could be them having the parade.

3) The Mets exercised their 2009 option (for $12 million) on Carlos Delgado. I don't know. I just don't feel like when the Mets are celebrating their World Series win it will be with Delgado at first base. That's just my gut feeling.

4) I also don't feel like it will be with Jose Reyes at shortstop. I was going to save this...and maybe I'll get into it in a little more depth later this week. But I'll plant the seed here. The Mets need to do a lot of work to re-build there team, without starting from scratch - there are too many holes. They have some young infielders that they can use to fill in the gap losing Reyes would create. But Reyes is a divisive figure in the division, and he disappears when the Mets need him most. So I think he's expendable. (I know David Wright hasn't done much more to bring them a championship, but when looking at this situation, Wright is the better clubhouse influence.) So I say trade Reyes for some pitching - both starting and relieving. A lot can be had if the right deal is made. And the Mets should make it. More to come on that as the season goes on.

GRADING THE GUARANTEES

I'm not a big fan of trash talk. I prefer seeing people settling things on the field. And if someone is talking big, I feel like the best way to shut them up is to beat them good on the field.

You may remember earlier this year, when Carlos Beltran opened his mouth, and offered the idea that the Mets would be atop the division at the end of 2008. A little less than halfway through the year, you might be surprised that the only person really backing up their claims at the start of the year is Ryan Dempster.

Carlos Beltran, New York Mets - Proclaimed the Mets as the 'team to beat' in the National League East, making a specific reference to the Phillies' Jimmy Rollins, who made the same prediction about Philadelphia a year ago.

HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT? Mets are 37-37, 3 games behind said Phillies.
Beltran is hitting .276, with 10 HR, 48 RBI, and 10 SB.

Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies - After accusing Beltran of plagiarism (with his tongue in his cheek), Rollins pronounced that the Phillies can win 100 games this year. Granted, it's a far cry from his declaration a year ago, but it's something.

HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT? Phillies are 42-35, 1 game in front of the Marlins, not quite on pace for 100 wins, Rollins is hitting .278, with 6 HR, 25 RBI, and 15 SB.

Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs - Guaranteed the Cubs would break their 100-year World Series championship drought in 2008.

HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT? The Cubs are 47-28, best in the majors, and Dempster is 8-2 with a 2.76 ERA. He has 81 strikeouts in 94.2 innings pitched.

292 FOR GLAVINE

Mets 5, Phillies 3 (NYM: 6-3, PHI: 2-7)

I'm a day late with this one, so I'll make it quick. Other than when he faced Jimmy Rollins, Tom Glavine pitched a very good game in some less-than-ideal conditions.

Glavine gave up two homers to Rollins, accounting for all of the Phillies' runs, and the Mets clawed back to take a 5-3 win at Shea.

In the 4th, Jose Reyes delivered a 2-run single to give the Mets a 4-3 lead. The other offensive notable: David Wright tripled in the 7th inning to extend his hitting streak to 21 games. It's kind of a weak hitting streak, for a couple of reasons. First of all, it spans two seasons, which I never like. And in about the past five or so games, Wright has had one hit, with the hit coming in his last at-bat. He hasn't been getting many meaningful hits lately. For what that's worth.


ENERGIZER JOHNNYMETS.BLOGSPOT.COM PLAYER OF THE GAME: This award could go to Jose Reyes most nights, because he does so much to spark the Mets. It goes to him after Thursday night's game because he keyed the Mets win. Reyes was 2-for-4, with 2 RBI, a walk, and a run scored. He also stole his fifth base of the season. He was also involved in all three Mets double plays. A solid game, tame by Reyes' now-high standards, but deserving of his first Player of the Game award of 2007.


I'll be back tonight after Mike Pelfrey's season debut against the Washington Nationals. By the way, Lastings Milledge was sent down so that Pelfrey could be brought up.

ROLLINS KEYS METS WIN

Mets 11, Phillies 5 (NYM: 5-2, PHI: 1-6; Mets 0.5 GB)


Jimmy Rollins is right - the Phillies are the team to beat in the National League East - and the Braves, Marlins, and now the Mets have taken them up on the offer. The Phillies are now tied with Washington as the "team to beat" up on.

It's big talk now that the game is over, but the Phillies led this game into the 8th. The Mets had cut it to 5-4 before rallying against Geoff Geary. Moises Alou led off the bottom of the eighth with a single, followed by a Shawn Green single. Jose Valentin's bunt attempt resulted in an out at third, and then pinch hitter Julio Franco walked.

It was then, with the bases loaded and one out, that Jose Reyes grounded to shortstop. Jimmy Rollins drifted to his right, and couldn't field the grounder, allowing a run to score, and the bases to stay loaded. It was 5-5, and then there was a wild pitch, and the Mets led, 6-5. Paul Lo Duca walked. Carlos Beltran hit a sacrifice fly, 7-5 Mets. Carlos Delgado walked. David Wright extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a long double to left, making it 9-5, Mets. (Wright's third double, en route to a record, on a 1-for-5 day.) Alou singled home the final two runs, and the Mets went on to the 11-5 win.

I didn't see any of this game, in fact, I just saw the highlights on ESPN. I tuned into ESPN GameCast for the first time this year after dismissal at school, when the Mets were down 5-3, so it was exciting to see the rally. I like to think the Mets broke the Phillies for the year, but I doubt it. I will say, however, that after one game, the Phillies still don't scare me.

John Maine wasn't great in this game. He pitched 4-and-2-thirds innings, giving up just 2 earned runs, but walked six, and gave up 5 hits. He threw 104 pitches in that short amount of time. I'd say he struggled. Ambiorix Burgos also struggled, giving up a homer to Ryan Howard, and three runs in an inning and a third. Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano (who got the win), and Billy Wagner combined for three scoreless innings.

On the Phillies' side, Cole Hamels was good - striking out 7 in six innings, giving up 3 runs, only 2 of which were earned. He's a good young pitcher.

The Mets and Phillies have Tuesday off before resuming on Wednesday at Shea. Oliver Perez tries to replicate his first start against Adam Eaton.


naturalbl0g.blogspot.com JOHNNYMETS.BLOGSPOT.COM PLAYER OF THE GAME: Carlos Delgado was 3-for-3, with a walk, and 2 runs and 2 RBI. I wasn't watching the whole game, so I don't know for sure, but it seemed to me he was in the middle of all of the Mets' action. He scored the Mets' second run in the 4th inning, with a headfirst slide around the tag of Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz. He hit a sacrifice fly to put the Mets ahead 3-2, and then had an RBI single to bring the Mets to within 5-4 in the 7th. And he scored after a walk in the 8th. Seems like a good day to me.

WEATHER-RELATED STUFF: Forgot to mention this Sunday - I know it was cold in Atlanta, but every wide shot I saw of the stands when the Mets were down there this past weekend showed empty seats. I'm pretty sure this was even the case at Friday's home opener. The Atlanta fans are horrid.

Also, the Cleveland-Seattle series never got off the ground because of snow. The Indians moved their homestand now to Milwaukee, where they'll play the Angels.

ASTROS: Brad Lidge's nightmare continues. He was officially taken out of the closer's role on Monday, replaced by Dan Wheeler (Former Met).

BEAT THE STREAK: After saying I was going to pick Ichiro, I actually forgot to log on and do it. Good thing they were snowed out. So I'm still at 0...I'm going with Andruw Jones to try to get me started against a Washington Nationals pitcher named Matt Chico.

ROLLINS WITH THE PUNCHES

The big news out of spring training on Wednesday and Thursday was Jimmy Rollins' proclamation that the Phillies are the team to beat in the National League East, and the Mets' reaction to that claim. The Mets did just what a Mets fan would hope they would do - they laughed off the comment, and said the matter would be decided on the field, implying that the Mets are the defending division champs, and the Phillies would have to prove it to them.

I do think the Phillies are better this year, but I don't necessarily think they are better than the Mets. (In past years I felt very strongly that the Phillies don't scare me - but this year I may change that tune....but, again, they'd have to show me something on the field, which is what their problem has been in past years. Good on paper, not good in actuality.) As I wrote a couple of days ago - the difference this year is that the Mets won't be running away with the division - there will be some competition.

So Jimmy Rollins spoke out, David Wright put him in his place - just for kicks, here's a breakdown of the two players involved in this war of words (please click on the picture so you can actually read the darn thing):