REASONS TO LOOK FORWARD TO MLB 2009

REASON #1 - CITI FIELD For the Mets, this season is all about the new stadium. They can win the championship, I don't care (OK, I care), but that would be secondary....because the Mets won't be a lock for any kind of playoff spot until October. You can't count on anything before then, given their track record. So for the first 5 and a half months of the season, the story will be the new stadium.

There's so much possibility to a new stadium.

Features on how it's playing - favoring pitchers so far, or hitters?

What fan amenities are there?

What are the quirks?

What are the hidden features that no one knows about yet?

The Mets will be a big draw this year because of the new stadium. In the recession we're in, that puts them ahead of other teams who might see people avoiding the ballpark. They should play this up for all it's worth - a feature on the stadium during every game on SNY. Lots of shots from different vantage points. Maybe even a pre-season special. (SNY has been airing this thing with Kevin Burkhart all off-season where the stadium is still only about three-quarters completed. Update that with a final look at Citi Field...and a little bit about the taking down of Shea.)

Citi Field is the number one reason for Mets fans to look forward to 2009. Because while the team itself is no guarantee to fulfill its promise, the stadium should.

This idea was going to originally be "Reasons to Look Forward to the Mets in 2009", but I realized there are probably going to be some general baseball reasons as well as Mets reasons. So I've expanded it. Most will have to do with the Mets. Also, I'm counting up, rather than down, as we head towards the baseball season, because I'm just not sure how many items there will be in this feature. We'll go until we hit Opening Day.

BREAKING NEWS: 8 MONTHS FROM THE CITI

Had to post this news: Gary Cohen just said on the Mets broadcast that the Mets will play their first game at Citi Field 8 months from today - Tuesday, August 14th, 2009 (he said Monday, but the calendar says that's a Tuesday). Apparently the way the calendar shakes out next year, the season starts a week later than usual. Unfortunately for me, it doesn't start late enough - I don't have spring break until the following week.

I have to find my way down for that game...at least now I know I have 8 months to plan how I'm going to get out of school.

HEADING INTO THE SECOND HALF

I've already laid out what I thought the Mets needed to do for the rest of the season to be a success, and why they could do it. They've gotten a huge head start on that goal by taking a 9-game winning streak into the All Star break. (7-0 in their quest to go 46-28 over the rest of the season and get 90 wins to win the division.)

I will throw this caveat out there - the Mets won 8 games in a row in April, and then pretty much immediately afterwards tanked for two months. But this 9 game winning streak just feels different. I should also point out here that it absolutely drives me nuts that they're only playing like this now...this is the way they should have been playing all season.

But I've been talking about one thing for the past couple of weeks, and it's mind-blowing how these numbers play out - and that is just how valuable Jose Reyes is to this Mets team. Perhaps you've seen these numbers somewhere else - I've only seen them early last week on SNY, and I couldn't find them anywhere else at the break. So I apologize if they're wrong, but I had to do them myself, and I admit that I may have made some mistakes. Either way, though, they're incdredible:

Jose Reyes in Mets wins
(51 games) .330 average, 8 HR, 28 walks, 32 RBI, 57 runs, 23 steals

Jose Reyes in Mets losses
(42 games) .262 average, 2 HR, 14 walks, 11 RBI, 11 runs, 9 steals

The saying the past few years has always been, "As Jose Reyes goes, so go the Mets"...but I don't think it's ever been as clear as this. Reyes has missed two games this year - the Mets lost them both. Reyes has one game with 2 home runs - the Mets lost it. Every other game in which he has homered they have won. Basically, if he gets on and scores, the Mets win the game...and he's been getting on base plenty this year.

I was also blown away by Reyes' overall numbers - he's hitting .302, his on-base percentage is .367, and he's slugging .487! This is a leadoff guy!

This is MVP territory. And I bring it up because for the Mets to win the division/make the playoffs/win the World Series they need to ride Jose Reyes. There are good players on the Mets, but the David Wrights can't do much unless Reyes is getting on base ahead of them. And the past two seasons, when the Mets didn't get as far as fans wanted, fingers could be pointed at many players, Jose Reyes prime among them. In 2006 it was the playoffs where he was not effective. Last year, it was after the All Star break.

It seems Jose Reyes finds his own motivations. Last year it seemed he was lacking a motivation, or was distracted. So maybe not making the All Star team this year is the best thing that could have happened to him and the Mets. Maybe that will be the spark he needs to complete this amazing season he's having. And maybe that spark will lead the Mets to a 90+ win season and beyond.

SCHEDULE: If you're in the business of buying the excuses of ballplayers, there might be something to the fact that the Mets had a draining schedule this first part of the season. I think I first heard it mentioned on one of the radio broadcasts of the Mets games last week - remember, the Mets made 3 trips to the west coast over 7 weeks in May and June. Distance-wise, they don't have anything nearly as grueling over the final part of the season.

For what it's worth, the Mets played the Sunday night game heading into the break, and are one of just a handful of teams playing on Thursday coming out of the All Star break. That's one day less of vacation than other players are getting...but maybe it'll end up keeping them more rust-free...and they're probably anxious to get back to work with how hot they went into the break.

A GAPING HOLE: With Ryan Church out indefinitely with post-concussion syndrome, Angel Pagan possibly not coming back this year, and Moises Alou now out for the rest of the season, the Mets need an outfielder bad. The names that have come up are:

Raul Ibanez: Carlos Beltran has endorsed him - they played together in Kansas City and are still close. He would be a typical Mets pickup - effective enough, but in the end, not worth what the Mets gave up. He's probably the most realistic option for a Mets pickup.

Fernando Martinez: The Mets' prospect is only at Double-A. Bringing him straight to the majors would probably be a mistake. I guess he's had some injuries issues too.

Matt Holliday: This was big on WFAN last week. I would say do whatever it takes to get Holliday. He's one of the best players in baseball, and he would be around for a while. I don't know why the Rockies would trade him....but if they did, Mike Pelfrey would be a great fit for Coors Field. He is a groundball pitcher, and that's exactly what the Rockies look for. Matt Holliday would be huge for the Mets.

WRIGHT WATCH: David Wright added two more doubles since we last wrote about it - he's at 24 for the season.

All-Time Leader: 792
Wright's 2008 Total: 24
Wright's Career Total: 165

ALL STAR BREAK STATS: Just to clear up what I posted Monday night, and in response to the comment that was left - I never said it wasn't an impressive number that Josh Hamilton was putting up in the RBI department. I'm just saying that everyone should cool down when relating these numbers to others' numbers at the All Star break. It's not the mid-way point of the season - it's 96 games in. I agree he's on pace for a huge number of RBI, but it's not record-setting. I hope that clears it up.

Thanks for reading the three posts today. Back to baseball tomorrow.

WOULD YOU HIRE THIS MAN?

You may or may not have heard that Gary Carter was in the news a lot this week. He sort of started a controversy by offering himself up for Willie Randolph's job - in a very public way - before it was available. His mouth got him in trouble, and that's given people who like to pick on Carter a chance to take shots at their favorite target.

And it's probably set him back in his search for a managing job in Major League Baseball, something I've commented on before....pretty accurately, it seems.

I hate that I have to do this, but I need to explain myself and why I spend so much time writing about Gary Carter. He's my all-time favorite baseball player. During my first little league game, where I was a catcher (because I was....chubby), in between innings I had my chest protector on. The coach folded it down for me, and said, "There. Now you look like Gary Carter." 'Wow,' I thought. 'Whoever that is, I want to be like him.' And it turned out he was pretty good to have as a favorite player.

Now, if I was an adult at the time Gary Carter played, maybe I wouldn't like him. I'm certainly not crazy about some of the things he has been doing recently. But he's still the guy I loved growing up, and he's still the guy who sent me an autographed picture in response to a letter my mom sent for my 16th birthday, and he'll always be given the benefit of the doubt in my eyes.

Still, I don't fire and hire Major League managers. And I suspect none of those folks are giving Carter the benefit of the doubt. He's been unprofessional going about this whole business of becoming a Major League manager. He's a bit full of himself, and it's to the point where I've set aside his book, because it turns out you can't take too much of Gary Carter at once. (I will review the book sometime in the next month, when school is out and I finish it.) And all of his flaws make him an easy target for someone like Jeff Pearlman, who wrote that ESPN article I linked to above.

But I think Gary Carter means well. I don't think he wants Willie Randolph to be fired, I think he just wants to manage the Mets. I know you can't have one without the other, but Gary Carter likes to talk, and when you ask him if he'd take the managing job with the Mets, he's going to tell you what he thinks, whether or not someone already has that job. And I think some of the heat he's catching is a little unfair. Especially from a guy like Keith Hernandez. On the SNY broadcast the weekend this Gary Carter thing came down, Hernandez called Carter "unconscious", meaning he doesn't think much about anything or anyone. That's my interpretation of it anyway - I was in Washington, so I didn't hear it live. But I feel like that's unfair, that Hernandez has this podium, and he's taking shots at someone who can't respond.

Anyway, I agree Carter shouldn't have said what he said. I would love to see him manage in the majors someday, because I would love to root for him to do well. But I don't think, after this, that it's going to happen anytime soon. And I don't think it will happen at all with the Mets, especially under current ownership. I just hope people stop taking shots at him so I don't have to be embarrassed and feel that I have to defend my favorite player.

COMING IN JUNE: You may have noticed May was a tough month for the blog. Hopefully, with the Mets back to .500 and seeming to have turned a corner this week, we'll be back to everyday updates in June. (And school ending will help, too.)

IN PRAISE OF TERRY FRANCONA

If I could choose a team of only players I liked (and inspired by Dave in Brighton's fantasy baseball team, I'm working on one), the manager would be Terry Francona. In spite of myself, he has become my favorite manager in the game.

When it comes to managing Major League Baseball teams, one of the most difficult jobs is manager of the Boston Red Sox. All Francona has done in his 4 years with the team is win, and make the job look easy.

He started behind the eight ball in my eyes. I did not like the fact that Grady Little took the fall for the 2003 ALCS loss by the Red Sox. But then the Red Sox introduced Terry Francona, and he said all of the right things. He didn't let the Boston media run away with stories. When he'd lose his temper with the media he sounded like a dad who was disappointed in his kid.

Francona doesn't lose his temper much. You see it every so often - and that's how you know an umpire has made a bad call. That's when you see Francona come out to argue. He handles the players and their eccentricities (read: Manny Ramirez) in a classy way. It always plays out behind closed doors. He'll never air dirty laundry, and even when a player starts a potentially controversial situation (like Curt Schilling or CoCo Crisp this spring), you get the idea he took these guys aside and told them things will work out - but to keep everything in-house.

Francona is just flat-out likeable. You want him to kick the chewing tobacco habit (he lost a bet to one of the Red Sox owners last year because he couldn't quit during the season...not for lack of effort - but even finding out about that through the media was like pulling teeth - he doesn't talk about himself). You want him to quit so that it doesn't negatively impact his health.

He also said all the right things when it came time to extend his contract, which should have happened immediately after his second world championship in four years, upon the completion of his eighth straight World Series win (against 0 losses). He didn't want it to be a distraction as the Sox began spring training.

On Sunday, February 24th, the Red Sox gave Francona a three-year contract extension. If I were them, that would have happened a lot sooner, and for a lot longer than three years. But they made the right decision, and they'll be a team to worry about for as long as Francona is at the helm.

SPRING TRAINING ON SNY: I lucked out today and was able to catch most of the Mets-Braves spring training game on SNY. A few observations:

1) Mike Pelfrey has looked great this spring, and he looked great today. Part of me keeps reminding the other part of me that it's still spring training, and we're still at a point where the pitchers are ahead of the hitters. Also, I needed to remind myself that he did the same thing to these Braves last September, so maybe Pelfrey just has the Braves' number. But the other part of me was very excited - Pelfrey threw strikes, he got groundouts, and he broke a lot of bats during his three scoreless innings. It was very encouraging - and part of the talk was about how Orlando Hernandez's situation isn't improving (he has various ailments), so it could be realistic that Pelfrey breaks camp with the team. (One caveat - the Mets won't need a fifth starter until mid-to-late April, so maybe Hernandez isn't behind schedule...and he'll be ready when the Mets need him.) Nevertheless, I would be confident in Mike Pelfrey if he is the Mets' fifth starter this year. More than confident, based on what I saw today.

2) One area where I won't be confident is first base. Carlos Delgado has had a recurrence of the hip injury that kept him out most of last September. So he's not playing right now, but the Mets aren't making a big deal out of it. The problem is, they're thin at first base. And on Monday afternoon, Michel Abreu started at first. He's not good. Abreu has been in the Mets' system for a few years - I always saw his name and thought it was Michael. But it's Michel. Pronounced like "Michelle". But he dropped a pickoff throw from Pelfrey, and he looks like he's working too hard to catch throws from the infield on routine grounders. Not a good sign for a first baseman. Hopefully Delgado's not too hurt, but if he is, the Mets need first base help.

3) Spring training games must be frustrating for broadcasters. This game featured Kevin Burkhart and Keith Hernandez (no Gary Cohen, in other words), and it's spring training, so there's a lot of feature-y stuff to talk about. Not to mention Burkhart's primary role is the sideline reporter, so he's got plenty of stuff to talk about during a slow spring training game. But the players keep swinging at the first pitch. Almost to a tee. Maybe the game slows down when there's all bench players/youngsters trying to prove themselves in the game late, but I didn't stick around to find out. Anyway, Burkhart and Hernandez kept starting stories, and they kept having to go to commercial in the middle of them. Frustrating, I would imagine.

LEAP YEAR!!

Today is February 29th, 2008. It's a leap year. With the expectations for the Mets being a World Series championship, it begs the question: How have the Mets performed in leap years?

1964: 53-109 (10th place out of 10)

1968: 73-89 (9th place out of 10)

1972: 83-73 (3rd place out of 6)

1976: 86-76 (3rd place out of 6)

1980: 67-95 (5th place out of 6)

1984: 90-72 (2nd place - 6.5 GB)

1988: 100-60 (lost NLCS in 7 games)

1992: 72-90 (5th place out of 6)

1996: 71-91 (4th place out of 5)

2000: 94-68 (lost World Series in 5 games)

2004: 71-91 (4th place out of 5)

2 out of 11 leap years were pretty good (although when you consider that 1988 was a huge disappointment, maybe not).

The Mets started out in 1962, so let's throw 1964 out the window - and if you do that, you're left with 10 years. Half of those were 65-70 wins, so those would be bad years. 2 more were just mediocre - 3rd place finishes, a little above .500. 1984 was a good year, but the Mets still finished behind the Cubs.

The other two are 1988 and 2000, and you have to hope these 2008 Mets surpass both of those performances. And here's a little insight into my predictions for the year (which will be passed along sometime in the next couple of weeks) - I think it will take about 100 wins to win the National League East this year. This could be a very intense race.

SNY: This space here was supposed to be filled with my quick first reaction to the Mets first televised spring training game against the Cardinals. Unfortunately, I forgot to set the TiVo. (How far we've come in the four years of this blog - where originally there were VCR problems in situations like this.) Well, I just watched the introduction of the late replay, and I have two reactions - number one: Keith Hernandez does not look good. His new hairstyle (or lack thereof - it doesn't look like he's balding at all, but he shaved his head) does not suit him. The second thing is that it's exciting just to have baseball on TV.

Tomorrow's March....and the season will be here before you know it.

MEET THE METS - PEDRO MARTINEZ*

A preview of the 2008 Mets, presented in the expected batting order, followed by pitching rotation, followed by impact bullpen/bench players. Today we focus on starting pitcher Pedro Martinez*.

2007: 3-1, 2.57 ERA, 32 K's, 7 walks, 28 IP

I think now is a very good time to take a look at the Pedro Martinez* signing, and how it has played out for the Mets.

2005: 31 starts, 15-8, 2.82 ERA, 217 IP, 208 K, 47 BB

2006: 23 starts, 9-8, 4.48 ERA, 132.2 IP, 137 K, 39 BB

2007: 5 starts, 3-1, 2.57 ERA, 28 IP, 32 K, 7 BB

First and foremost, I stand by what I've said all along - while I wasn't thrilled initially when the Mets signed Pedro Martinez*, it is because of Pedro Martinez* that so many others followed suit, and it is because of Pedro Martinez* the Mets came within an eyelash of the 2006 World Series (even though he didn't pitch that post-season), and it's because of Pedro Martinez* that the Mets were in the position they were in this off-season to acquire Johan Santana. Everything has a cause/effect relationship, and Pedro Martinez* signing with the Mets got the ball rolling on a number of things. So even if (God forbid) the Mets do not win this year's World Series, in the final year of Pedro*'s contract, it's because of Pedro* that they will be in the position to do so in the coming years.

That said, this is a big year for Pedro* in the eyes of fans a little more short-sighted than that. And I can't really blame them. He wanted four years, and that fourth year was a big question mark because of injuries. The Mets took the risk of getting four years out of Pedro*, giving him the four-year deal. At this point, Pedro* can only give them three, because last year was just five starts long for him. Things would have been different had the Mets made the playoffs, which was the plan, but it didn't work out that way.

I also need to clarify the 2006 numbers. Pedro* was better than 9-8 that year - he started the year 5-0, and could have been 9 or 10-0, but the team (offense and bullpen) didn't support him, leaving him with a string of no-decisions. (In 2005, too, don't forget he had to suffer through Braden Looper closing his games, and could have been better than 15-8).

So overall, Pedro* has pitched very well as a Met. This year will be different, though, because there's no pretending he is the Pedro* of old, who can get an upper-90's fastball past you. Pedro* will try to win this year on experience, guts, and guile.

And I think Pedro* will do OK on his experience, guts, and guile. He is a very smart pitcher, and knows what he is doing on the mound. I think the end of last year was a preview of what we can expect from Pedro* all this year - and I don't think a low-3.00 ERA and 15 or so wins is out of the question. I have also written about this before, but I think it helps tremendously that Pedro* is the number two pitcher on the staff.

Was the Pedro* signing a good one? I say yes. Especially if that fourth year turns out to be a championship year for the Mets, and Pedro* is on the mound pitching well for the Mets in that fourth year in the World Series.

SPRING TRAINING TELEVISED: I love what the Red Sox station, NESN, is doing - I saw that this morning they were airing a couple of hours of spring training workouts. I tuned in for a little bit and saw some batting practice and some pitchers throwing. It might be a little much if they do it more often than this, but I'll tell you this - if SNY were airing some of the Mets spring training workouts, I'd be tuning in to every second of it. Hopefully this sets a successful precedent that other teams and their networks start following.

STILL LOSING...

My outlook is a little rosier today, despite the Mets losing again to the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Perhaps because I made it through the day without crashing a car into anything. Perhaps because another issue we had on Tuesday at the House sponsored by DirecTV was resolved. I forgot to mention it on in Tuesday's posting, but the hot water was out. That was fixed early Wednesday. Perhaps it's because I found the old "Umlauts" standings from 1999 between johnnymets, the Southern Bureau, and Justin in NYC.

"Umlauts" was a game whereby you had to throw a CD (usually played with the "Umlauts" CD, so called because it was only identified by a U with umlauts over it) onto a shelf across a hallway. The shelf was divided up into different squares and rectangles, and you earned more points for getting the "Umlaut" to settle into the smaller areas. It was tougher than it sounds, but by the end of the year, we were experts. The game took place at Boston University's radio station, WTBU. The creation of this game, sadly, may have been among our greater accomplishments during our college years. At least I know it was for me. So, since the parents are cleaning out their house during a renovation, all my old stuff is popping up...and the "Umlauts" standings were a recent find. Very exciting. For the record, Justin finished in first place in the standings.

I think the preceding two paragraphs illustrate the point I was going to make tonight. I've just spent two paragraphs talking about a game I made up 8 years ago...I'm afraid that I'm no longer the true blue Mets fan I've always been. Or...I ask the question, what makes a true blue fan? I used to think I was going to lose my status as "#1 Mets Fan in the World" if I missed one pitch during the course of a game, even if it was the late innings of a blowout. Now I'm lucky if I can stay awake past the seventh inning stretch...let alone the first pitch of a west coast game. Worse still, I might not even care when I see the score in the morning whether the Mets won or lost. What does that say about me?

I've become someone who rationalizes losses - if the Mets lose to the Phillies and Cole Hamels is pitching, for example, I say, "Well, if they were going to lose, at least it's to someone on my fantasy team." I didn't even realize until this morning that the rest of the National League East is right back on the Mets' tails because they've won just one game so far this month (although that may serve more as a commentary on my common sense than anything else). And it didn't make me run down to the computer to issue a call to arms on the blog.

I think steroids has a lot to do with this. I think slowly I'm separating myself from what I've been very close to, so that I'm not as disappointed as I might have been when names I've convinced myself were not involved get released as being involved in the scandal. I know fatherhood has been a major part of this, because I look forward to seeing my daughter every day far more than David Wright or Jose Reyes. But her bedtime is 7pm, just in time for the east coast games, and if something else comes up, I'm not as disappointed about missing the game as I once was.

So I'm having a fan identity crisis. Maybe all I need is the Mets to come back East, play at reasonable times, and get back to playing exciting, winning baseball. Maybe that's this weekend when they're playing the Yankees.

All that said, though, it only makes me more confident that the Mets are going to win it all this year. I wanted this blog to be a running record of the season - with Players of the Game following every game, all year long. I've lost that option, because I've missed so many postings. I missed major events of the season such as the emergence of Carlos Gomez, the surprise contributions of Jorge Sosa, and the Endy Chavez injury. So because of that, based on the way things work out for me, this will be the year the Mets win it, and I will only have a partial history recorded. It will have to suffice, but it could have been much more. Does that make me less of a fan? I don't know. I do know that the johnnymets of a year or two ago would have said that it certainly does.

COMMENT ON THE COMMENTS: Thanks to everyone who commented on the return posting from Tuesday. The Sister even weighed in! FYI, the 'system' she refers to in her comment is her so-called 'system' for the "New Baseball Pool". I'm convinced she picks a random team each week - she claims to have a 'system'. I know people enjoy leaving comments on the site, but also don't forget that you can e-mail at johnnymetsmail@yahoo.com.

AT LEAST HIS NAME'S NOT DICK: I keep forgetting to mention this, but every so often, the guys in the SNY booth will bring up a certain player from the Chicago Cubs who played in the late 70's, whose name happens to be Pete LaCock. Usually Keith Hernandez instigates it. But they'll allude to him, call him Pete or something, but never mention his full name. This has been happening for about a year, about once every other month...not very often. Last week, they did it again, and Gary Cohen, in what I'm guessing was coming through on an off-air bet that he couldn't say the name and keep it together, came right out and said, in response to Keith's hint at the player, "You're talking about Pete LaCock, right?" Well, they all lost it. And Hernandez goes, "Sorry folks."

I don't know what to make of this. First of all, I laugh every time they hint at his name...it makes me think of my old internship (the same internship for Southern Bureau and Justin in NYC), where the executive producer had LaCock's baseball card prominently posted in the office. But I also cringe, because Hernandez probably got Cohen in trouble for the whole thing. I like to think that Cohen is a little more professional than he gets when Hernandez is around. Again, I'm going to apologize for devaluing Ron Darling when he first came to SNY from Washington. He has been one of the best analysts I've ever seen/heard. I can take or leave Hernandez these days.

BEAT THE STREAK: I'm still playing, haven't really threatened Joe DiMaggio. I'll post this again when I get past 8 games, maybe.

BOUND TO HAPPEN....

Braves 5, Mets 3 (NYM: 4-1, ATL: 4-1)

I knew the Mets weren't going to go 162-0, but I still wanted to see just how long they could stretch the season-opening win streak. I guess it was just four games. But the Mets were done in by one of the things that keyed them to their 4 straight wins - their defense.

The Mets looked all set after the top of the first, after jumping out to another 1-0 lead - this one from an unlikely source: a homer by Paul Lo Duca. Tom Glavine gave it right back, though, and you could tell by the way he was working that career win number 292 was not going to come easy - of course, it didn't come at all.

The Braves' first started with an innocent grounder to second, which turned into their first baserunner when Carlos Delgado dropped the throw from Jose Valentin. Kelly Johnson then came around to score on a grounder to short. Matt Diaz homered in the second to give the Braves the 2-1 lead, and the Mets their first deficit of the season.

In the fifth, the Mets did their manufacturing run thing, after a leadoff walk by Jose Reyes. He stole second, went to third on a grounder to second by Lo Duca, and then scored on a single by Carlos Beltran. The Mets knocked around John Smoltz, but he seemed to get the outs when he needed to.

Unfortunately for Glavine, the outs couldn't come because of his defense. After no errors in 4 games, the Mets committed two on Saturday. In the bottom of the sixth, with the bases loaded, Shawn Green dropped a Matt Diaz fly ball that allowed one run to score. The next batter, Woodward, flew out to right off Pedro Feliciano, and Green made a nice running catch, but the ball was deep enough to score a run to make it 4-2. Then Joe Smith came on and got a groundball, but it was too slow for Reyes to make a play, so the Braves took a 5-2 lead. All 5 runs were charged to Glavine, but only two were earned.

The much-improved Braves bullpen held the Mets to one run the rest of the way, though the Mets did threaten Bob Wickman in the ninth. Trailing 5-3, Carlos Delgado walked, and David Wright singled (extending his hitting streak on an otherwise horrid day - 3 strikeouts against Smoltz). With two outs and runners on second and third, Green lined one towards right field, but the ball was snared by Craig Wilson at first. A tough way to end the game, but it showed the Mets still have that ability to come back late in games, and you still get the sense that they're never out of a game.

CHICK-FIL-A JOHNNYMETS.BLOGSPOT.COM PLAYER OF THE GAME: No one really stood out in this one, so we'll go with Matt Diaz, who had a homer and lifted the fly ball that Shawn Green dropped. At least he put it in play, and you have to give him some credit for that - chances are the then-go-ahead run would have scored anyway. Diaz finished 1-for-2 with 2 RBI and a run scored.

NOTES ON THE GAME: The Braves have no true leadoff hitter, now that Rafael Furcal is gone. They also have no true second baseman. Kelly Johnson is playing second and leading off, but I also noticed this on Friday night, when Chris Woodward was the starting second baseman and leadoff hitter. That's a step back from Furcal, and Marcus Giles at second.

ALSO THE WAY I FEEL: Tim Kurkjian was guest host on Mike & Mike In The Morning the other day (I think it was Thursday), and the subject of the DirecTV/other cable providers Extra Innings packages came up. (An aside: I find the Mike & Mike show to be much more tolerable when someone like Kurkjian or Buster Olney is on for the entire show rather than the regular Mikes...but that's another story for another day.) Kurkjian said he has DirecTV, and the day he got it, he says, "was, other than the days my kids were born, the greatest day of my life." So, he said, it wouldn't be right for other people to not have the opportunity to get the package. I agree.

SNY 2007: Friday night was my first chance to see a Mets game on SNY. Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez were in the booth, and were very good (for the amount I saw before I fell asleep). A couple of notables:
-Slightly newer, snazzier graphics.
-Good ads - one, a tribute to Ron Darling for being named best New York sports analyst (I think, I was a little fuzzy on the award). The other was hilarious - it was a cartoon of Cohen, Darling, and Hernandez sitting on the couch watching the game, and Hernandez keeps saying, "I sound great. Wow, I'm doing a great job." And Darling and Cohen end up taking off Hernandez's mustache, and the announcer says, "Watch the Mets with Gary, Ron, Keith, and Keith's mustache." Good stuff. I hope there are different commercials like that each week. Hilarious.
-Also, forgot to mention this, so might as well here - Lee Mazzilli is the new studio analyst this year. I haven't seen enough of his work to comment yet.

1986 ROUNDUP: I don't remember seeing him all last year on camera, but Roger McDowell is still the Atlanta Braves' pitching coach. They showed him on Friday night, and either Keith or Ron said, "Roger smiled a lot more as a player." I thought that was funny.

MORE BROADCASTING: Caught the Reds' games over the weekend, and Grande was doing the games. Wonder what kind of a rotation they have going there. I'll have to keep an eye on that.

A WORD ON THE WEATHER: This year is more extreme than most, but I feel like every year there's a hubbub about the season-opening weather, and moving all of the openers to warm weather cities. Now, I don't know that that's a foolproof option - I hear there's a chance of snow in Arlington, Texas, for the Red Sox game Saturday night, which is surprising to me, but I feel like this is always a controversy in April every year, and then it dies down and is forgotten. I do feel, however, that this year has been extreme, as I mentioned above, extreme not only in weather, but also in outcry over the weather. And I think there will be some fallout - especially since Cleveland and Seattle are losing a game because of the weather, and because Victor Martinez got hurt in the bad weather, AND because of the controversy on Friday surrounding the weather and the way the game was called off. I don't know how much fallout, but I feel like the situation won't die away so easily, and maybe there will be some change next year.

BEAT THE STREAK: After no hits Friday by Xavier Nady and on Saturday with Derek Jeter, I'm going with as sure a thing as I can on Sunday, with the Cleveland doubleheader. I'll take Grady Sizemore - all he needs is one hit in two games to get me started.

FOURTH IS A ROUT

Mets 11, Braves 1 (NYM: 4-0, ATL: 3-1)

Just like last year, when these 2007 Mets score first on the road, they're tough to beat. And when Craig Wilson misplayed a foul pop to first by THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED, Jose Reyes, the Braves might as well have gone home. Shortly after (might have been the next pitch), Reyes delivered a gapper to right-center, which can mean just one thing - triple. He scored on a Paul Lo Duca sac fly, and the Mets led 1-0. In the second, they made it 2-0 after Jose Valentin doubled home Moises Alou, who had doubled.

I didn't make it very far into this game...falling asleep around the third inning. But I did see enough to feel comfortable that the Mets were in good shape. Especially after I woke up at various points when the broadcasters voices got excited, and heard that Jose Reyes had a second triple, and David Wright had two doubles (this is the year he breaks Gilkey's doubles record). Wright also now has a 16-game hitting streak dating back to last season.

The Mets' defense continues to impress. They turned 2 more double plays, and have yet to commit an error. Oliver Perez had an impressive season debut, and also turned in a nice defensive play on a sacrifice bunt attempt in the third (before I dozed). With a runner on first, Mark Redman tried to lay down the bunt, and Perez fielded it, whirled, and got the lead runner at second on a very tough play. Everything's breaking the Mets way right now.

Tom Glavine goes against John Smoltz in the season premiere of FOX Saturday Baseball Saturday afternoon. Should be fun to watch.


LA-Z-BOY JOHNNYMETS.BLOGSPOT.COM PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jose Reyes gets an honorable mention for his 4 RBI on a 3-for-6 night, and any other night he'd get this nod. But the Mets scored 11 runs, and we know what they're capable of at bat. It's Oliver Perez who really impressed last night - 7 IP, 1 ER (a homer by Jeff Francoeur) on 5 hits, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts. The control is a huge issue for Perez. All 4 Mets starters are 1-0, which is fantastic...they've deserved the 'Player of the Game' award being handed down the rotation.

NOTES: Two important things to point out - one of the announcers, I want to say Ron Darling, pointed out that Rick Peterson, when he pitched, was a lefty, with the same arm angle as Oliver Perez. That's information I had never heard before. And that can only be good for Perez.

How about this nugget from the SNY broadcast? Friday night's game between the 3-0 Mets and 3-0 Braves was the first time since 1894 that two undefeated National League teams who had played 3 games or more had matched up. 1894!! And that was NOT a typo.

One more thing - wonder how many times Jose Reyes and David Wright have hit multiple triples and doubles, respectively, in a game. That might have been a first, now that I think about it.

STEP TWO

Mets sweep Dodgers, 3-0, in NLDS


I know I've been horrible at updating the site so far during the playoffs, and I can't promise it's going to get any better, because I have the most beautiful daughter in the world, and for me to update the site I would have to leave her for a few minutes, and I just don't want to do that. So I watch the games with her, and I forego the site.

So far, in her brief life, the Mets are 3-0. Which is very exciting. I'm telling you, it's been quite a week. I wish I had written earlier in the week, just because what I suspected has come true - despite the Mets' pitching issues (El Duque going down the day before Game 1, coupled with Pedro*'s rotator cuff), they have the power to outhit the National League teams. And that's what they've done. But the pitching hasn't been bad.

John Maine gave the Mets what they needed (considering such short notice, it was a very good start), the bullpen was awesome in Game 1 and Game 2, Tom Glavine gave the Mets the type of start they've expected from him in the post-season since they signed him, hoping they'd be able to use him in the post-season, and in Game 3, it was the bats that came through when the pitching was less than stellar. Billy Wagner slamming the door shut at the end of all three games is fun to watch, too.

David Wright talked in a post-game interview in Game 1 about how the Mets have a knack for scoring runs right after a team comes back on them to take the lead - and the Mets did that in Games 1 and 3 in this series, just like they've been doing all season long. A very nice, clean 3-game sweep for the Mets. Losing Cliff Floyd isn't great (although he's day-to-day, which isn't as serious-sounding as the injury looked) - but that just means more playing time for Endy Chavez, which is a good thing.

Now, hopefully San Diego can force a 5th game against St. Louis, just so both of those teams have their pitching stretched to the limit in the first round. That will allow the Mets to set their rotation up as best they can, and force the Cardinals or Padres to be mismatched. As much as I hate the fact that St. Louis made the playoffs, I'm loving the possibility, with them ahead 2 games to 1, that the Mets will face them in the NLCS. There's two ways to look at this - the negative opinion is that the Cardinals are now hitting their stride in the post-season. The positive side (as a Mets fan) is that the Mets can kill the Cardinals. Which I think will be the case.

I honestly felt there were just two teams that could beat the Mets in the post-season, and neither of those teams was in the National League. They were both American League teams, and now they are both eliminated. I thought the two biggest threats to a Mets World Championship were the Yankees and the Twins, and surprise of surprises, they were the first two teams to bow out. I'd rather the Mets face the Cardinals in the NLCS, but the Padres don't scare the heck out of me (they'd push the Mets more in the series), and I think the Mets match up better against the Tigers and/or A's than the Yanks and Twins. But that's looking too far ahead for now.

Game 1 of the NLCS is Wednesday - I hope to post before then. Maybe a preview. SNY is doing its post-game celebration coverage now - Tim Tuefel and Todd Zeile are now a part of the SNY team. Interesting choices there.

UGH-LY

Phillies 11, Mets 4 (NYM: 71-47, PHI: 58-60)


Blow the Mets out once, good for you. Blow the Mets out twice in a row, shame on them.

The Phillies have now outscored the Mets 24-4 in the first two games of this four-game series, and the Mets are inching dangerously close to being compared to the St. Louis Cardinals - owners of the title "Worst Team to Lead a Division This Late in the Season". The Cardinals, you may remember, have been blown out a bunch of times this year - giving up lots of double-digit run totals, and tallying losing streaks of 8 games a couple of times this year. The Mets aren't there yet - but they're inching closer. Two wins in a row in the final two games of this series will go a long way to helping people forget about these first two games.

The Mets, again, fell victim to their starter getting torched early. Orlando Hernandez gave up four runs in the first, on two homers, and a total of 11 earned runs in 4 innings. The bright side from the pitching perspective? 4 scoreless innings by the bullpen (Pedro Feliciano, Roberto Hernandez, and Aaron Heilman).

The other bright side came on the hitting side. THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED, Jose Reyes, was the entire Mets offense. He homered on the first pitch of the game, homered in his second at-bat, was walked, then in his fourth at-bat, hit a 2-run homer, becoming the seventh Met ever to hit 3 homers in a game (among others, Hall of Famer Gary Carter accomplished this feat). Reyes does not need to be swinging for the fences all the time, but it's nice to see him flex his muscles on a night where it really didn't matter what he did - the Mets weren't going to win.

Wednesday night the Mets will turn to Tom Glavine to stop the bleeding - he goes against Jon Lieber.



MAGIC NUMBER: Again, no change. The Mets can still knock four games off the magic number with wins in the final two games of this series. It'd be nice to lower it a little bit before the Mets come back home this weekend.

METS MEDIA: Keith Hernandez was back in the booth Monday, after 10 days off (not sure if that was a vacation, scheduled time for Ron Darling, or some sort of punishment). I'll be honest, I'm not missing him too much when he is gone. I was off-base at the beginning of the year with my critique of Darling, and comparing him to Hernandez. Darling is head and shoulders above Hernandez in the broadcast booth...and I think SNY is starting to realize that.

Don't get me wrong - occasionally, Hernandez has a nugget or two of insight to offer. But Darling is on from the first pitch through the final out. Hernandez gets into a little of the "I'm a bit bored by this" schtick, which I hate. The other thing about Hernandez is that in the past, he was a treat - offering much-needed relief from the team of Ted Robinson and Fran Healy. Now, it's Hernandez who I often need a break from. I think part of my apprehension regarding Darling back in March/April was the fact that he wasn't exciting as part of the Nationals' telecasts last year. In retrospect, the Nationals weren't exciting to watch, and that's going to wear on a broadcaster. Also, who knows if Darling had an inkling that at the end of the year, he'd be going back to New York, to work on the Mets' new station? That could be a distraction as well. Either way, I'm glad he's on SNY, and I hope he's the voice of the Mets for as long as David Wright and Jose Reyes are manning the left side of the infield.

MY UPCOMING WEEKEND: This weekend is the one I've been waiting for for about 4 months now - Saturday morning I'll have my fantasy football draft, and then I'll be going to the Mets game that night. The Mets are playing the Rockies, but the important part is the before-the-game ceremony that will honor the 1986 Mets - a 20th anniversary reunion. I received my 20th anniversary shirt from the game my parents attended (thanks mom and dad!), so I'll be wearing that, and I'll be getting a 1986 pack of TOPPS baseball cards (thanks, Hyundai!).

The only thing I don't understand is why this is happening against the Rockies. There are 81 home games in a season - the Mets couldn't pick a game against a team that actually existed 20 years ago? Maybe the Astros, who they beat in the playoffs? I'd like an explainer on that. Supposedly the seats my dad and I will be in aren't too good - but I'll try to have some pictures, especially of a certain Hall of Fame catcher.

THE KID'S KIDS: Daytona lost, but St. Lucie also lost, so no change in the standings - the Mets are still a half-game back. Palm Beach also lost, so they stay a game behind St. Lucie.

ALFONZO'S COMEBACK: A 1-0 win by Norfolk - they only had one hit off Ryan Vogelsong, but it was a Chris Basak homer, the only hit the Tides would need. Edgardo Alfonzo did not play, but Brian Bannister pitched 8 innings for the Tides, giving up just 3 hits, and striking out 7. Quite a turnaround from his last outing.

I'm still not sure I understand this "Jets Nation" show's schedule. Apparently, it's just an off-season show, so Saturday was its last episode. Although, it will still be on during the regular season, with the same name, so I'm not sure how that works. And even though the show aired for the first time on Saturday, the day after the first day of training camp, it contained absolutely no information about the first day of training camp.

I do know this about "Jets Nation" on SNY, though - the show still sucks. It's just awful. Host Brian Custer is OK, but Greg Buttle is awful - he's just a blowhard. Ray Lucas is a less-loud version of a blowhard. Both guys talk in circles, so they don't really make a point, and it's just hard to follow what they're saying. So that's the first 10 minutes of the show - then, mercifully, they go away.

Then Adam Schein comes on. I didn't think I'd like Adam Schein. Once in a while, when I was working overnights, he'd be doing the overnight show on WFAN, and I'd catch his show, and I didn't think it was great, but it was far better than sports talk around here. But on this show on Saturday, Schein was awesome. Good opinions, backed up solidly, and he was a refreshing breath of fresh air coming after Buttle and Lucas. So Schein's presence on SNY shows some promise. But still no training camp info from the show.

So I have to resort, I guess, to the newspapers for my Jets info. Apparently, Chad Pennington, Patrick Ramsey, Brooks Bollinger, and draft pick Kellen Clemens are getting even amounts of time practicing with the first team. So everyone, at this point, is getting a fair shot at the number one quarterback job. Some are saying this is Eric Mangini's way of protecting Pennington's shoulder. I get the impression that this is Mangini's way of letting Pennington play himself out of a job. I don't get the impression Mangini likes Pennington - because he's not "his" guy. I think Mangini wants to groom Clemens for the job for next year, and wants Ramsey to win the job this year, as a transition guy. But I'm rooting hard for Pennington to prove everyone wrong.

Other news out of training camp is that Curtis Martin's situation seems to be pretty bleak. He's apparently really suffering from this injury and the rehabbing.

Justin McCareins is back practicing - he had failed a conditioning test, but passed it the next opportunity he got.

I think I heard that SNY is going to have a training camp Jets show during the week - they need to step up their coverage. There's lots going on at Jets camp, and lots of fans want to know about it...so it's SNY's responsibility to do a better job covering it. If they claim to be the station that covers the Jets year 'round, they'd better start showing it.

NEW ERA

Day One of Training Camp has come and gone, and the Jets' new era is underway. It's going to be tough for fans and media, because Eric Mangini is from the Bill Parcells/Bill Belichick school of "don't say anything" - it will be tough for us to get complete answers regarding injuries, or pretty much anything else, for that matter.

You know what's really tough - I haven't been able to find anything anywhere about Day One of camp, and specifically how Chad Pennington looked.

Here's where SNY is going to show if it's worth watching. I'm TiVo-ing "Jets Nation" on Saturday. This show was a joke during the off-season - just three guys sitting around and arguing. But the day after the first practice of training camp - it better be comprehensive. If it's not, I don't know if I'll bother watching the rest of the year. So hopefully I'll have more info Saturday.

ROOKIES: D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, the Jets' first-round draft choices, as well as 2nd round pick Kellen Clemens, are all under contract, which is good. The Jets don't need holdouts hanging over their heads in addition to all their other question marks.

INJURIES: Curtis Martin, Justin McCareins, and Trey Teague were all placed on the Physically Unable to Perform List (the PUP) on Thursday, before the first day of practices. This is more of a formality at this point, meaning that they just can't practice. Once the season begins, the PUP is a bigger deal, because that means the players are inactive for a longer period - like until Week 6. The problem here, though, is that Curtis Martin's knee is still not fully healed from his surgery at the end of last season. Apparently, he was expected back by now. I guess the good news is that he's not going to be rushed back before he's ready...but the bad news is that his career could be coming to an end fast.

I'll be updating periodically throughout training camp - thanks for coming back to the site!

RED SOX A LOT, METS A LITTLE

(game's not over yet, so I don't know the final score)

I think the Mets are making too much of this series. I know it's a big series, what with Pedro Martinez* making his return to Fenway Park and pitching against his former team for the first time. And it's also the best team in the National League against the team that's tearing up the NL during Interleague play. But I think the Mets are making too much of that, and they're not showing the team they really are. This is just ugly. The Mets are playing bad baseball - they're making errors (looking at you, Milledge), they're not making smart plays (Pedro*), and they're doing bad elementary baseball like missing cutoff men. That's not the stuff that's gotten them to 47 wins thus far.

That's not to take anything away from the Red Sox, though - they're playing some really good baseball right now. Really good. They're a good team - but I don't think they're this good - they're just clicking all around right now, which is too bad for the Mets. (It doesn't help, though, that the Mets aren't pitching well - Pedro* got rocked tonight, and Alay Soler threw as many ball as strikes on Tuesday night - so it's a little bit of bad pitching to go with the great hitting.)

Now, Carlos Delgado has just homered, and things can't get much worse defensively, and it's still early...so maybe the Mets can make a comeback here. But the truth is, both Tuesday's game and Wednesday's game have been dreadful. (OK...later on in the game, I'm realizing a comeback isn't happening.)

I'll touch on Tuesday's game a minute - I took zero pictures. I just didn't feel like taking out the camera. Before the game the Red Sox honored their 1986 American League Championship team - and on the scoreboard it said something like "Welcome 1986 Champs". They didn't say AL...so that would be the Mets. I still think that ceremony should have waited for the Angels to be in town. I will say, though, that the Red Sox made a very classy move by putting a video tribute on the board for Pedro Martinez*, spurring a standing ovation for him in between innings. That was a really nice move, and it set the tone for Wednesday night.

Back to Wednesday's game...a big disappointment. But that's what I expected (except I expected a Mets win in the deal). I didn't think it would live up to the hype...I thought Josh Beckett would get rocked in the Beckett-Martinez* duel. Instead, Pedro* got killed, Milledge didn't help, and Pedro* didn't help himself by prolonging the first inning by making a mental error, getting just one out instead of two. It could have been a whole different game there. And it cost Pedro* the opportunity to win a game against the Red Sox - which would have made him one of a very few players (I forget how many have done this) to get a win against all 30 Major League teams. That doesn't look like it's going to happen.

I really think the Tom Glavine-Curt Schilling matchup on Thursday will live up to the hype...and I really hope the Mets can come away from this series with a win, heading into a weekend series against the Yankees. I think they need to relax a bit, and not play so tight. Loosen up and play like they've been playing all year.

ANNOUNCER SWAP: Ron Darling spent an inning with Don Orsillo on NESN, while Jerry Remy visited SNY. I was under the impression it was going to be the full game...I was wrong. Darling did a nice job. We have SNY blacked out, so I don't know what went on with Remy, but I'm sure it was awesome. NESN showed him in the SNY booth - and he brought his little Wally in his Adirondack chair with him to the SNY booth. So that alone is awesome.

Also - I wonder if this is part of NESN and SNY trying to develop a comfortable working relationship, in advance of a possible post-season meeting (not just Mets-Red Sox - even something Red Sox-Yankees). Not only did they swap analysts, but the SNY open had some of the exact same treated video of Pedro* in their open as NESN did in theirs.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP: I know he's pitched well, but I just love that Roger Clemens is 0-2 after two starts. I hope he loses them all.

Jae Seo was traded again - the Dodgers sent him to the Devil Rays on Tuesday (along with Dioner Novarro for Mark Hendrickson and Toby Hall). That's a decent trade for the Dodgers, because Hendrickson has been pitching really well lately. I saw Seo pitching for Tampa tonight - not sure if he was starting or not - but he's wearing uniform number 98. Not sure why. That's an odd number, though.

FUN & GAMES: The Wife spotted Mr. Met in the background of a shot in the first inning, walking around Fenway Park with Wally the Green Monster. Good eyes by her. But it reminded me that I forgot to mention a couple of weeks ago that Mr. Met was in Kansas City to help their mascot celebrate his birthday. So he's really making the rounds.

THE KID'S KIDS: The St. Lucie Mets haven't played in a while - after being rained out on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday's games were all postponed because of wet grounds. Lots of weather problems in Florida - we'll see if they get tonight's game in.

FANTASY UPDATE: The What If Nationals are facing elimination - down 2 games to none in the Wild Card playoff round to the What If Reds. I wouldn't mind them losing the next game so I never have to visit that site again.

BEAT THE STREAK: Nothing to cool off the hottest player in baseball, Jose Reyes, like me taking him in Beat The Streak. Thursday I'll go with Carlos Lee to hit a bomb off of Mark Prior.

WORKING OVERTIME

Giants 7, Mets 6 12 innings (NYM: 33-22, SF: 29-27)

For the second straight game, and third time in four games, the Mets went to extra innings. It was the tenth time this year the Mets have played an extra-innings game (by my count), and I think now the Mets are 6-4 in extra innings games (again, just my count). This is going to cause some wear and tear on the bullpen - and I think the Mets are going to start paying for it this week. Back-to-back extra innings games, and now a trip out west to play Los Angeles, Arizona, and then back east at Philadelphia. I'm not expecting the best road trip....but maybe the Mets will show how good they are and come away with a winning record. (This is the last tough road trip the Mets have this year - at least as far as mileage goes.)

As for the game, this was an exciting one (which I didn't get to see - more on that later). David Wright hit two homers - he's now up to 10 on the year, and 51 career, and continues to swing a hot bat. (He's now hitting .330..and getting much national recognition. Apparently this week 'The Sporting News' is comparing him to A-Rod.)

The Mets blew a lead in this game, but also came back a couple of times. The most dramatic was after the Giants took a 2-run lead in the 10th inning, then brought Armando Benitez in to close it out. Jose Valentin homered with one out, to make it 6-5, then with two outs, Lastings Milledge hit his first career homer, tying the game. (Milledge was 3-for-4, with 3 RBI, raising his major league average to .267.) Pedro Feliciano got tagged with the loss by giving up the final go-ahead run in the 12th (althoug Heath Bell gave up the hit that scored the run - Bell has been pitching very well since his call-up to replace Jorge Julio out of the bullpen. Not too many of the bullpen guys pitched well on Sunday.)

A rough series for the Mets against the Giants. They lost the series-opener (the first game of the doubleheader), which should have been a warning - the Mets hadn't lost the first game of a home series all season. (They had won 10 straight this year, 13 straight overall. I hate seeing streaks like that end.) Now it's off to the West Coast - let's hope for good things.

MEDIA-RELATED NEWS: First of all, I was wondering why Howie Rose was doing the Mets' game on SNY Saturday (the second game of the doubleheader) - I thought Gary Cohen just had some scheduled time off. But apparently Cohen was taken away from the stadium before the game with appendicitis. I'm not sure how long he'll be out for...but I heard a bit of the Mets' game on the radio on Sunday and Ed Coleman was filling in for Howie Rose...so I guess my services won't be needed. How about two Mets figures with appendicitis at the same time, though? (Xavier Nady and now Gary Cohen.)

Secondly, I couldn't watch the Mets on Sunday, and I can't figure out why. The programming guide on DirecTV had the Mets-Giants game on channel 735, and supposedly it was on Fox Sports Bay Area. But the game wasn't coming on that channel. I was mad...but sadly, being the way that I am, I'll never complain to DirecTV, and I'll never figure out why the game wasn't on. Oh well. I did get a look at ESPN.com's much-improved GameCast.

MONTH OF MAY: I forgot to post this Friday - but since the month of May is over, it's time for the monthly record. The Mets were 16-12 in May - following up their 16-8 April. If the Mets win 16 games a month, they'll do OK this season. (That would be about 112 wins, to put that in perspective...so 15 more to go in June!)

THE KID'S KIDS: The Mets are headed in the right direction again. They beat Tampa 5-1 on Sunday (for the third straight time), and are back to a game-and-a-half lead over Brevard County. That's some good managing by Hall of Famer Gary Carter.

FANTASY UPDATE: I'm back on the outs with this game. The What If Mets dropped all three games Sunday, and are back to .500. I have three coming up on Monday now with the Giants. I'm telling you - I don't know what to do. I'm still just two games back of the wild card, so there's some hope...but I'm 11 behind the division-leading phillies. Also, I filled out a mid-season survey that the game asks you to fill out, and I was pretty critical. I hope that's not why I'm suddenly on a losing streak.

BEAT THE STREAK: David Wright was my pick on Sunday, and he got me up to a five-game streak. I'm taking Carl Crawford on Monday, hopefully we can get this one up into double digits and beyond.

NO SWEEP

Phillies 5, Mets 3 (NYM: 28-18, PHI: 24-22)

The Phillies averted disaster by beating the Mets during an afternoon game at Shea. The Phillies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first against Jeremi Gonzalez, the Mets tied it at 3 in the second on a 3-run homer by the suddenly powerful Jose Reyes, and then Pedro Feliciano gave up two runs in the seventh to let the Phillies win it. Gonzalez pitched OK, but he'll be sent down, as El Duque will take his rotation spot on Sunday. Heath Bell pitched well - and he's been pitching very well at Norfolk - I wouldn't be surprised if Bell takes Jorge Julio's bullpen spot.

Brett Myers pitched very well. The Mets are allowed to lose one out of every three to the Phillies - I'm OK with that. Now a three-game series at Florida - the Mets need to sweep. Simple as that. And Pedro* needs to get a win against the Marlins - finally breaking his string of no-decisions.

I didn't get to see much of Thursday afternoon's game - but I made it home in time to see the bottom of the ninth. And it should be noted that the Mets again managed to get the tying run to the plate against Tom Gordon. Even in a game where it didn't seem likely that the Mets would win, they had a faint threat of tying the game. Good signs, when that happens.

MEDIA CORRECTION: Since I was out all day, I was going to TiVo this game, and I said yesterday Mike & The Mad Dog were going to broadcast it on SNY. Turns out I forgot to TiVo the game, but as I was driving home, faintly I got WFAN on the car radio - and Mike and the Mad Dog were broadcasting the game on WFAN (which makes sense, since that's where their radio show is, and since YES carries it on TV, not SNY). So I ended up hearing a little of their play-by-play. It was OK. They did it for charity, so I guess I can handle that. But since it's always been my dream to do play-by-play, I still get a bit jealous when guys get these chances that would never in a million years fall my way.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DEAL: Omar Minaya said Wednesday after he traded for Orlando Hernandez that he had other deals cooking. He proved himself Thursday, when he traded minor leaguer Robert Manuel to the Reds for pitcher Dave Williams. Astute readers will remember I've mentioned Dave Williams before. (In case you're too lazy to click the link, here's what I wrote:

"BEAT THE STREAK: Back to taking it seriously, after vacation. I'm on a modest 3-gamer, after a Jimmy Rollins hit tonight (actually, 2 hits, I think). I took Alfonso Soriano for Tuesday, against Dave Williams of the Reds (formerly with the Pirates). He is bad.")

He is bad - he's been sent to Triple-A, probably to learn how to pitch. The Mets didn't give up much - Manuel was in Single-A...with decent numbers, but who knows what he'll turn into. Minaya says you can never have too much pitching. We'll see what else he's got going on.

WRIGHT IN SI: David Wright is the subject of a story in this week's 'Sports Illustrated'. Everything you hear about Wright is positive. He and Derek Jeter are two of the best people ever produced by a New York city farm system (actually, you could probably throw Bernie Williams in that category too....maybe even Mariano Rivera - although I don't know much about him as a person). Wright is just such a good person - everyone raves about how humble he is, and has stayed, even with his success. I just hope it lasts - and based on the type of person he is, and was raised to be, I think it will.

THE KID'S KIDS/LAST-PLACE LASTINGS: Both St. Lucie and Norfolk entered Thursday's action with just a game difference between themselves and their next-closest competitor. The Tides were just a game away from tying for last place, and the St. Lucie Mets were just a game up on Brevard County for first place.

St. Lucie was playing too late for this writing...I'll update them over the weekend.

Norfolk is really close to leaving last place - they beat Syracuse again on Thursday, 7-2. Milledge followed up his 3-for-6 in last night's game with a 1-for-5 on Thursday - and it was a solo homer. He's hitting .291.

FANTASY UPDATE: The Southern Bureau, owner of the What If Nationals/Expos, e-mailed me to say, "What's going on with this what if league? I win 12 in a row, lose 8 in a row, it's the same team! Nothing has changed...why are they so streaky?" I agree. Wholeheartedly. A day after winning all three of my games, I've lost all three of my games. I just had a feeling it might happen. What a pain. I go back and forth between liking this game and HATING it. Right now, I hate it. But I'm still 5 games out of first, tied for second.

BEAT THE STREAK: Ichiro didn't get a hit - Rodrigo Lopez picks today to throw a gem. Wonderful. Back to 0 again. This is the most frustrating part of 'Beat the Streak' - trying to get a streak past 9 or 10 games, so that you can actually care about it. Maybe this will be the streak that gets me going. I'll take Jose Reyes against the Marlins, since he's swinging a hot bat these days.

ALAY-ING SOME FEARS

Mets 5, Phillies 4 (NYM: 28-17, PHI: 23-22)

It's getting to the point where we might not have to worry about the Mets rotation anymore. It didn't look like that would be the case early on in Wednesday night's game....but by the end of the game - it's like the Mets are a whole new team.

Alay Soler, Cuban Defector, started for the Mets, and walked the first three batters. (I forgot to mention this in my posting Tuesday - but 5 of 7 batters the Mets walked through the first nine innings on Tuesday scored. The three Soler walked in the first inning Wednesday, scored.) They all scored (helped by a bad error by second baseman Chris Woodward), and it looked very, very bad for Soler. But he settled in VERY nicely, and gave the Mets six innings, walking only one more batter, giving up 5 hits, 2 ER, and striking out 5. I can't wait for his next start, when he won't be nervous from the get-go, to see what he can do.

(Speaking of Cuban Defectors, the Mets acquired Orlando Hernandez on Wednesday, trading Jorge Julio to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hernandez is not having the greatest season, statistically, but this is going to be a great trade for the Mets. Historically, it takes Hernandez a little while to get comfortable in a new place...and he's already comfortable in New York. That's one thing. Secondly, the true value in this trade will come in September and October, when Hernandez really shines. Thirdly, although I liked the direction Julio was heading, I feel a little better thinking about the Kris Benson trade, and seeing the Mets net a starter out of that trade. John Maine, the other man acquired in that trade, is due back soon from his injury - I wonder if he now heads to the bullpen to replace Julio. Either way - looks like Jeremi Gonzalez heads back to Norfolk.)

Unfortunately, Soler did not get the win, because Pedro Feliciano served up a late homer to Met-Killer Pat Burrell, which tied the game. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The Mets started cutting into that 3-0 lead very early. In the first inning, Carlos Beltran* homered, making it 3-1. Later, Future Hall of Famer David Wright hit career homer number 49 (8 on the season), making it 3-2. A bloop single tied the game, and a sacrifice fly later gave the Mets the lead.

After Feliciano blew the lead, David Wright came through in the clutch again, lining a single to left with men on the corners to give the Mets the 5-4 lead. And "The Closer" looked good in the ninth, closing the door for the save. (Full Disclosure: I actually went upstairs to watch the final minutes of American Idol to see who won in the bottom of the eighth, and missed a little of the top of the ninth. Oops. But it was worth it to see the cutaway to David Hasselhoff, who looked like he was wiping a tear from his eye after they announced the winner. HA!)

The thing about the Phillies, which we all know, is that they don't scare me. And I don't think they scare the Mets. It doesn't look like the Mets ever feel like the Phillies can slam the door in a game they play - no matter what the score is. So even if Philly takes a 3-0 lead in the first inning....it's worth watching to see how quickly the Mets even things up.

Jeremi Gonzalez starts Thursday afternoon for the Mets. This will most likely be his last Mets outing. The Mets now lead the Phillies by 5 games...a sweep would really do some psychological damage to the Phillies, I think, especially with the bad news they got Wednesday. Their phenom, Cole Hamels, who was supposed to start Wednesday, was placed on the DL after hearing a 'pop' while playing catch. That's not good. I know I say a lot of bad stuff about the Phillies, but I hope the kid is OK. I would hate for a young star like that to be seriously hurt. He has real potential - the veterans on the staff were pointing to this kid they just called up and saying he was their new number one starter. That's high praise. They're a team on the ropes right now - the Mets can really hurt them on Thursday.

TUESDAY NIGHT LATE EDITION: Just to wrap up the 16-inning game from Tuesday, which ended at 12:22am, and would have ended at 11pm had Steve Trachsel not been the starting pitcher, that was a great win. For the Mets to come from behind so often, and then not win would have been a shame - so to go on to the 16-inning win was huge. And for Carlos Beltran* to finally hit a game-ending homer as a Met (if he's done it before, I don't remember it)...he's really starting to put last year behind him...and most Mets fans.

There was never a point Tuesday night, when the Phillies led, where I didn't feel like the Mets were NOT going to come back. That's a really good sign.

LINE OF THE NIGHT: This was really good - I had to repeat it. Ramon Castro started at catcher Wednesday night, spelling Paul LoDuca after the 16-inning game. In the early-going, Soler shook off a few of Castro's calls, and Gary Cohen says, "That seems about right, the Cuban defector is shaking off Castro." (I hope that translated OK from aural to written form.)

MEDIA: I forgot about this, until they showed the radio booth during Wednesday night's game on SNY, and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo was there, and Gary Cohen said, "There's tomorrow's broadcaster with Howie Rose!" I think tomorrow Mike & The Mad Dog broadcast the Mets game on SNY. I wasn't going to TiVo the game, but now I think I have to, just to see what that's like.

MINOR LEAGUE NEWS: Before I get to the Mets-related stuff, I noticed something that involves a player I love watching, but who's been cursed the past couple of seasons. Rocco Baldelli began a 20-game rehab stint with the Durham Bulls Tuesday - and hit a game-winning single. So good news - hopefully Baldelli makes it the whole way back without getting hurt. I like him a lot.

THE KID'S KIDS: St. Lucie's lead in their division is down to a half-game, after a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Yankees. This is where Hall of Famer Gary Carter really needs to show off his managing skills, and get that team to believe in itself again!!

LAST-PLACE LASTINGS (AND MAIL): This, from Dave in Brighton:

"Johnnymets,

Will you rename your Last-Place Lastings feature if the Tides overtake Richmond to get out of the basement of the International League's South division?

Signed,
Dave in Brighton"

I guess I would probably have to, Dave, but I don't know if that will happen. I will acknowledge....it's getting very close.

The Tides were also working extra innings on Tuesday, beating Syracuse 3-2 in 11, winning the game on a Lastings Milledge double. I gave Milledge's numbers Tuesday night, but didn't have the details of the game.
The Tides are on their way to another win (and taking another step towards getting out of the basement - they're leading the Sky Chiefs 10-3 in the ninth. Milledge is 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored - his average is now .289.

A couple of things of interest - I'm starting to wonder if there will be suspensions from the brawl the other day, and hopeful that Milledge won't be suspended for Monday's game. Also - Monday is five days from today, meaning tonight's Tides starter should start Monday's game, meaning we should get a look at Evan MacLane, someone who I don't know anything about. Former Met Matt Ginter should be pitching for Pawtucket that day.

FANTASY UPDATE: The What If Mets have won three in a row - I wonder if I've done that before, where I've won all my games in one day....it doesn't seem familiar. Anyway, I won one against the Braves, and two against the Nationals/Expos. I'm now alone in second place, but I'm still 3 games out of first. It's the Blue Jays and Dodgers tomorrow.

BEAT THE STREAK: Vladimir Guerrero continued his massive hitting streak versus Texas with a weak 1-for-5 on Wednesday, upping my hitting streak to 4. I'll take Ichiro to keep it going on Thursday against Rodrigo Lopez and Baltimore.

RUNS NOT IN THE CARDS

Cardinals 1, Mets 0 (NYM: 24-15; STL: 25-15)

The story of the past few seasons for the Mets is that they haven't been able to drive home runs. They've been getting plenty of runners on, but they just haven't been bringing them home. So far this season, a much better season than any of the ones in recent history, that still has been the case. It's one of the few flaws of this team...but it's a major flaw, and one that could be costly. Granted, Mark Mulder pitched a great game, but the Mets had their opportunities, and they couldn't come through with the game on the line.

In the fifth inning, the Mets had David Wright on third base with one out. Kaz Matsui popped up, and Steve Trachsel didn't get him home, so he was stranded. Then the Mets loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, and Wright struck out, and Cliff Floyd grounded to first to end the threat (both outs came against closer Jason Isringhausen - who looked a lot better Wednesday night than I've been giving him credit for all year so far). The Mets just haven't been producing with runners in scoring position...it's tough to even say the runners were in "scoring position"- because they haven't been scoring from that position for the Mets recently.

A big of hindsight, which I questioned at the time. THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED, Jose Reyes, doubled to lead off the ninth. Paul LoDuca came up and bunted the first pitch he saw to put Reyes on third, with one out. Part of me says, yes, bunt him up, then let Carlos Beltran* or Carlos Delgado get him home (the Cardinals pitched around Beltran* and hit Delgado). But I'm thinking at the same time, how LoDuca is one of the hottest bats in the lineup, and after coming through with the game-winning RBI on Tuesday night, all the Mets are talking about how clutch he is. He did a nice job getting the bunt down, on a high pitch, but with the Mets' potential firepower, I say let LoDuca swing away. I'm sure Willie Randolph was questioned about that move. But still - bases loaded, one out, the Mets should have at the very least tied Wednesday night's game.

It should also be noted that Steve Trachsel came through big time - pitching 7 innings of one run, 4-hit ball. The Mets need a lot more of that from him.

Day baseball Thursday. Jose Lima. Mets NEED to score some runs for him.

OTHER BASEBALL: I forgot to talk about this last night, but doesn't it seem like anytime the Rangers and Yankees play, one team is blowing a huge lead, and the other team comes back, and then they trade the lead a couple more times before one team wins in its final at-bat? Those games drive me nuts - it happens at least a couple of times a year with them.....

The Mets are getting a lot of help from Milwaukee - they blew a 2-run lead in the ninth against the Phillies - but Geoff Jenkins just drove home the winning run for the Brewers in the bottom half - so that's two in a row for the Brewers over the Phillies, and the Mets keep their 2-game lead....

The Marlins blew a ninth inning lead against Atlanta for the second night in a row, but right now, in the 11th, Florida has the lead again. Hope they don't lose it again. But I can't stay up for the end of that one....Well, won't have to - Chipper Jones just hit a game-winning homer. Ugh. The Marlins are brutal.

MEDIA NOTES: I just realized that I won't see the first two Yankees-Mets games this weekend. The Friday night games are on networks in New York. Then Saturday's is on FOX, and I'm 99% sure the Red Sox are playing opposite the Mets-Yanks....oops. Never mind. I should get to see Saturday's game...Red Sox are a night game.

Another SNY note - almost everyone on that station (at least two of the broadcasters, anyway) pronounce "Beltran" as though the "ran" is the past tense of "run". I'm 100% sure it should be "Belt-rahn". Or "ron". It drives me nuts - the station is run by the Mets, for crying out loud. Learn how to pronounce the star's name.

HAPPIEST I'VE EVER BEEN ABOUT A NON-MET: The Minnesota Twins did what I've been saying they should do since spring training...they called up pitcher Boof Bonser. With big-time pitching problems at the Major League level, the Twins sent down Kyle Lohse, and called up Bonser, who will start Sunday against the Brewers. What I did not know is that Bonser came to the Twins from the Giants, in the A.J. Pierzynski deal. Bonser is 3-2, with a 2.01 ERA, and 47 strikeouts in 49 innings at Triple A this year. The Twins, though, say this move is more about Lohse's ineffectiveness than Bonser's pitching at Rochester.

THE KID'S KIDS: The St. Lucie Mets are going late too...must have been a rain delay or something...they trail Dunedin 3-2 in the 7th. I'll update that on Thursday. The Mets still have a 3-game lead in the division, with a 23-15 record.

LAST-PLACE LASTINGS: Welcome to the newest addition to the johnnymets.blogspot.com lineup. In the traidition of the "Wright Watch", "The Kid's Kids", and the never-named Boof Bonser tracking...I bring you "Last-Place Lastings", watching the performances of Mets prospect Lastings Milledge for the Norfolk Tides. The name of this feature is no reflection on Milledge himself, just that Norfolk is probably going to be in last place all season, and it's a catchy name. Milledge has been leading off for the Tides all year, and started off very hot. He must be struggling lately, because he went 1-for-3 Wednesday night, which actually increased his average to .279. I thought he was doing a lot better than that. From know on, we'll KNOW, thanks to "Last-Place Lastings"!

FANTASY UPDATE: Almost perfect...I won two out of three from the lowly Cubs. But I realize there is a definite need for a lights-out closer in this league - I won 11-4, then 11-8, and in game 3 I led 4-2 in the ninth, and lost, 9-4. Roger McDowell and Randy Myers are to blame. I really needed that sweep - and with Dwight Gooden starting, I thought I had it. Very disappointing. Sadly, if Armando Benitez shows up on the waiver wire, I'm going to have to grab him.

BEAT THE STREAK: Nomar got the hit in the final at-bat for me to start a new streak on Wednesday - I'm taking Miguel Cabrera on Thursday.

LOW POINT FOR HEILMAN

Phillies 5, Mets 4 (NYM: 21-11, PHI: 18-14)

The Mets have lost their first big game of the year. The Phillies came into Tuesday night's game with an 8-game winning streak, just 4 games behind the Mets in the division. They left with a 9-game winning streak, and are now 3 games back of the Mets.

The game came down to two bad half-innings. Pedro Martinez*, the starter, had one - giving up 3 runs in the second. He came back nicely from that early struggle, striking out 10 over 7 innings, giving up only those 3 runs. He was spared a blemish on his record (staying 5-0...maybe he'll go 27-0 now) by the bats of Xavier Nady and Carlos Delgado.

Nady made it 3-2 with a 2-run homer in the top of the 8th inning off Brett Myers, who pitched very well starting for the Phillies. In the bottom half, Duaner Sanchez gave up his first run of the year, and the Phillies handed Tom Gordon a 4-2 lead. Paul LoDuca led off the ninth against Gordon with a single, though, and Delgado faced Gordon having just 2 hits against him in 30 career at-bats. He proceeded to homer, making it 3-for-31, and tying the game at 4, getting Pedro* and Sanchez off the hook.

Aaron Heilman was the man behind the second bad half-inning. He got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, but then gave up a triple to David Dellucci, hit Jimmy Rollins, and walked Chase Utley. (Doug Eddings, the home plate umpire, started calling pitches that were strikes all night balls against Heilman. He also called out Kaz Matsui on a very, very high third strike to end the top of the ninth with runners on second and third, and in between innings, tossed Julio Franco, who was letting him hear it from the on-deck circle. I wonder if that had anything to do with his shrinking strike zone in the last of the ninth....in fairness to Heilman.) Anyway, bases were loaded for Bobby Abreu, and he hit a nubber in front of the plate. Heilman tried to play it instead of letting LoDuca get it, and Heilman threw it away. An awful play. And the Mets lost, 5-4.

This was not a great start to a 9-game road trip...the ace on the mound, problems in the pitching rotation - the Mets needed a win. But they can still get 2 out of 3 in Philadelphia - it's not time to hit the panic button yet. Tom Glavine goes Wednesday, and Steve Trachsel on Thursday. It's time for Trachsel to step up and be a good starter for the Mets. They need him to come through.

The good news - the end of the week, when the back end of the rotation is scheduled to pitch, the Mets will be in Milwaukee. And there's something about that park - the Mets' bats really seem to come alive there.

SNY: Everyone's favorite network had a 3-man booth Tuesday night, with Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez together. They did very nice together. I'm not sure whether or not this is the first time they did that, because I missed a lot of SNY games at the beginning of the year - but the three worked very, very well together.

Also...'Simply Amazing' is coming soon on SNY - not sure if it's a one-time show about the '86 Mets, or a series about them...but it's definitely about the 1986 Mets, so that'll make it worth watching.

PEDRO* OFF THE FIELD: For those of you who ignored the link left in the comments section by Dave from Brighton....Pedro* likes to garden. And there's nothing wrong with that. I don't have anything close to a green thumb. Matter of fact, I am a plant murderer. So I have no problem with Pedro*'s ability to keep such a beautiful garden. (You might say I'm green with envy.) It's true what Jeff Wilpon says - the abstract thinking Pedro* shows in his garden is what helps make him such a good baseball player. I might have a small problem with Pedro* talking to his flowers though - he's quoted in that article as asking one of his flowers, "What about you, beauty? Aren't you going to grow up to be so pretty?" That's going to get back to him on the baseball field.

MAIL TIME: Steve from Queens is back, talking about the Victor Zambrano injury:

"Johnnymets -

I have heard rumors of a possible Zito for Lastings Milledge trade. I have also heard that the Mets brass have said they are not trading their prospects for anyone. Now, given the Zambrano fiasco (I think his injury is a blessing in disguise), I understand why the Mets would never want to trade a prospect for anyone out of fear of another flop. But, wouldn't it make sense to make a trade for a guaranteed #2 starter for the next few years for someone unproven in the Bigs? how about Willis for Milledge? The Mets are a team that is trying to win the Series this season. Milledge will not be in a Mets uniform this season unless catastrophe strikes the outfield. What do you think?

Steve from Queens"

Steve - I heard someone call into the pre-game show on Sunday asking if the Mets would get Zito now. I think as the trading deadline approaches, rumors like this are really going to pick up (look for the rumor regarding Washington's Zach Day to pick up steam, as well as all kinds of Dontrelle Willis scenarios), especially if the Mets are struggling because of their lack of pitching depth. For now, I think we're going to see Jose Lima and Jeremi Gonzalez get some long looks. (Gonzalez is at Norfolk right now - he's pitched for the Cubs, Devil Rays, and Red Sox. His numbers at Norfolk - 35.2 innings, 31 hits, 9 walks, 30 K's, 3.03 ERA.) The problem is, neither one is going to be the solution for the rest of the year.

I think by mid-to-late June the Mets will make some sort of deal to get a pitcher. Nothing major, but an upgrade over what they have now in the back end of the rotation. (This might happen sooner if Brian Bannister doesn't come back as scheduled.) I don't think the Mets are going to raid the farm to try to get a number 5 starter for this year, because I think they'll be able to survive with what they have this year. I'd expect in the off-season that there will be another push for Zito. But I don't think Lastings Milledge is going anywhere....and I don't think Dontrelle Willis will end up with the Mets.

A SMALL REMARK ABOUT DEATH: I don't know what I'll be remembered for when I go (although awesome baseball writer will probably figure prominently in the obituary somewhere), but when I die, I hope nowhere in my obituary does it say "Pinch-runner for midget". That's what it says on ESPN.com about Jim Delsing, who passed away at age 80. Delsing played for the St. Louis Browns when Bill Veeck sent Eddie Gaedel up to the plate. Gaedel, a midget, walked on 4 straight pitches. I guess Delsing was the guy sent in to run for Gaedel when he reached first base. Now Delsing has died, and that's what he's remembered for. That's too bad. I'm sure Mr. Delsing did much more in his life than pinch-run for a midget. I'll send him off with a baseball tribute, anyway.




Jim Delsing, a major league outfielder for 10 seasons with 6 different teams, died of cancer last Thursday. Mr. Delsing was a career .255 hitter, playing for the White Sox, Yankees, Browns, Tigers, Senators, and Athletics. He hit a career-best .288 with Detroit in 1953, striking out just 39 times in 479 at-bats. Once, he pinch-ran for a midget. Mr. Delsing is also the grandfather of soccer player Taylor Twellman. James Henry Delsing was 80 years old.



THE KID'S KIDS: The St. Lucie Mets are still playing as I write this - but I'm going to pencil them in for a win. They broke a 6-6 tie with a 7-run 8th inning, and lead, 13-6. More tomorrow.

FANTASY UPDATE: The Mets are 10-8, having won 4 out of 5, and 7 out of 10. They also took 2 straight against the division rival Braves. The most exciting game of the day was the first of the series against the Braves, when the Mets scored 4 times in the ninth off none other than John Rocker to notch a come-from-behind victory. Robin Ventura again had two home runs. We're 3 games behind the Nationals, tied with the Phillies, a game ahead of the Braves (only 4 teams per division).

BEAT THE STREAK: Edgar Renteria extended his own hitting streak, and mine, with a first-inning double. Then the game survived an early rain delay, so my hitting streak is up to 5. On Wednesday, I'm taking a flyer on Conor Jackson of the Diamondbacks - he's 2-for-2 in his career against Paul Maholm of the Pirates...he's actually the only player on Arizona who's had a hit off Maholm. All it takes for me is one.