The Ballclub

Decision: 2010

2009-11-27T00:26:00.003-05:00

I've been on a bit of an unplanned, unannounced hiatus of sorts, not because of any particular reason, I guess I just didn't have anything in particular to write about. Nothing noteworthy has happened, as far as the Mets are concerned, at least as it pertains to me. And, I suppose, that was probably a good thing. As a Mets fan, there's not much one can do right now except for just lay low. Maybe reflect on some prior glory (Always welcome and needed in these difficult times). Maybe some of us petulantly declared our fandom in open forums such as Facebook (not naming names or anything...!). But, otherwise, just lay low and wait for something to happen. That is, if something happens. There's talk, but then again, there's always talk. I have this somewhat faint hope that Roy Halladay will be sitting under my Chanukah Bush next month, but I fear that not a likely scenario. Stranger things, however, have happened.

There have been odd snippets that have popped up over the past few days about things the Mets are doing to their stadium and their uniforms to try to acknowledge the history of the Mets. And it is a History that shouldn't be ignored. It was mentioned to me late in the 2009 season that the lack of Mets History in Citi Field was, perhaps, the brainchild of the Boy-King, who for some reason felt that our beloved Shea Stadium was cursed and the time the Mets spent there should be ignored. It's hearsay, but if it's true, then the Mets owners are, perhaps, even dumber than we give them credit for being. Asking a Mets fan to ignore the Mets past is, perhaps, akin to asking the Sun to not rise in the morning. It's not going to happen. And if you try to make us ignore it, well, the backlash can be rather nasty. So, the Mets are doing what they should have done in the first place and making Citi Field into a place that will celebrate the history of the team that plays there. Wonderful. After last season, Fabulous Freddie and the Boy-King had better listen to what the fans want. Was that really so hard?

Then, there's this whole cream-colored uniform thing, which is kind of ridiculous, if you ask me. I'll be honest, I don't care what kind of uniforms the Mets wear. They could be beet red with lime green pinstripes and a lavender accent. The uniform doesn't matter so long as the team wins. So, when they announce things like this, I have a tendency to ignore it because personnel moves should be of paramount importance right now, not clothing. However, Paul Lukas at the Uni Watch took this as the impetus to launch a full-scale diatribe at Fabulous Freddie and the Boy-King, saying what I'm sure most Mets fans feel right now. I'll just let Paul do the screaming for me on this matter.

But there was one thing Met-related that did pertain to me this week. On Tuesday, I got a letter from the Mets. I was pretty sure I knew what it was before I even opened it, and, of course I was right. Inside was an invoice for a 2010 Weekday 15-game plan, which included a schedule and a list of the 2010 plan dates. The promised "discount" wasn't much of a discount. I suppose I should be happy with what I get from them. A drop of $20 per plan isn't much, but it's something, right? One thing I didn't expect was that they were expecting me to renew for the same seats I had last year. I've taken many pictures from those seats (and even of those seats).

I seem to be of a small sliver of the Mets fan base who had the following feelings about Citi Field. 1) The seats were, all things considered, fairly reasonably priced for a new stadium where ridiculous ticket prices were thought to be the norm. 2) I didn't have a problem with the seats. Though they were in the last row, they weren't obstructed, they weren't somehow blocking my view of any major part of the field, and they were near a bathroom and an exit. But, they were still in the last row. And I was hoping that I would be able to upgrade these seats. I'm new to this whole season-to-season seating thing, so I figured it would probably be worth my while to call the Mets and see if I could change my seats. Not surprisingly, I got on the phone right away with a woman who was all too happy to help me out, though at first she seemed convinced that I was calling to cancel my plan and tell Jeffy-poo to kiss off. I'm sure she's gotten that call more than a few times. She seemed somewhat pleasantly surprised when I said, "I'd like to renew, but I'd like to see if I can move my seats." She said they could try to accommodate me, but they had to know how many plan holders were renewing for 2010. I can't imagine that every plan holder from 2009 is. But they wouldn't know until December 18th, so I should renew, and they will leave this note on my account and will contact me after December 18th to see if I can be moved. That was, all things considered, rather helpful and nice of them. Hell, if I pay online, I can even pay off the tickets in two separate payments.

There is, I'm sure, a certain segment who would scoff at me for renewing and willingly hand my money over to a pair of half-wits who will probably throw it in the air and run around screaming. But how could I not renew? The Mets are, as many of my loyal readers are aware, my one big luxury in life. Going to games is my escape, it's my sanctuary. I don't think it mattered how bad the Mets were in 2009 or how bad things look for 2010. I'm going to be there. I don't think that was ever in much doubt. Sure, I joked about it. I asked for suggestions such as using the invoice as toilet paper. One friend suggested I go to each game, put a sign on my seat that read "FIRE OMAR" and walk out. No, I'll be there. I may feel stupid for doing it, but I'll be there.

Wrong Side Of Town

2009-11-04T23:55:00.003-05:00

The problem with this World Series was that the outcome was inevitably going to piss me off. That was how I saw things going in, and that was how it turned out. My plan was to basically pretend it didn't exist. Just shut it off. Why put myself through the misery?

But it's impossible to do that. Not when you're rooting for the team from the wrong side of town, from the perspective of both of the teams present. It was easy to ignore the jeers from Philadelphia. That came from afar. The snibes that come from within eat at you more and more as the games play on. Maybe it's not something that's directed absolutely at you, but it's that sneering, snide arrogance. They thumb their noses at us, and why shouldn't they? We're a laughingstock. We can point at them all we want, but we're on the same field they are, we spend the same money they do, and we try to exploit the same business model they've perfected. But where they can throw their money at the best people imaginable, we throw our money around like we're a 20-something NYU coed walking into H&M.

The end result, of course, is the 2009 season.

Despite my best efforts to ignore it, despite every effort I put in to pretend it wasn't there, I couldn't. The newspaper covers, the radio shows all got to me. By time the series rolled around, I was sure I could avoid it. But there I was, listening on the radio. I couldn't subject myself to it on TV. No way. It's easier to follow when you don't have to actually see anything. And ESPN radio brought me a neutral broadcast from Jon Miller and Joe Morgan. But as that first game progressed, something odd happened. The Phillies were ahead, the Yankees were down. And for some reason, I really enjoyed watching the Yankees lose. So, that was how it had to be. Like most Mets fans, I'm sure. I wouldn't give the Philly fans the satisfaction of saying I was rooting for them. Oh, no. But even though I didn't want the Phillies to win, I wanted the Yankees to lose more. That was my official statement to anyone who asked.

Game 2 was ignored. Game 3, I found myself in the midst of a major Halloween party. Stuck as the head troubleshooter, several parties requested updates of the game for the attending revelers. So, fine. Out comes the BlackBerry to check in periodically. As the night continued and I allowed myself to become as intoxicated as is recommended when one is on the job, I found myself in a private area with a TV. This would be the first I would be seeing of the World Series at all. The Yankees were ahead. Jayson Werth hit a Home Run. As if on cue, I broke into a joyous "JAY-SON WERTH-LESS!" chant. This time, it was supportive. But he was still Jayson Werth-Less. Of course, the Yankees won. Of course, the Yankees ran away with the rest of the series. It seemed somewhat inevitable. Even when many Yankee fans seemed to be going through some sort of bizarre panic between the 5th and 6th games, it was still with that obnoxious "When We Win..." attitude.

Well, they won. Now we're going to have to hear about it all Winter, and probably all the way through next season, too. Should be a treat.

Say what you will about the Phillies, and say what you will about Cole Hamels, who probably ought to think twice before he goes after the Mets again, but they still managed to ride a bullpen that rivaled the 2008 Mets all the way to the World Series (see what happens when your hitters hit?!). Even though they lost and a lot of their players looked bad doing it, they're still by far and away the team to beat in the NL East. The Mets, well, the Mets should be thinking about how the hell they're going to finish higher than 4th place. The Mets certainly have the deep pockets to reinvent themselves the same way the Yankees did. Don't let anyone tell you different. But the question is, are they smart enough? Is the person making the decisions capable of making the right ones? Over the past few seasons, the answer has been a resounding "No," and that's enough to scare the bejesus out of any Mets fan. The Yankees, by winning the World Series, proved that any problem can be fixed if you throw enough money at it. I don't know if the Mets are smart enough to follow suit. Only time will tell.

I've been following this team for over 20 seasons. I was discussing this over the weekend with a fellow Mets fan. I've seen more winning seasons than losing seasons, and it's not even close. These last few years have been bad times for me as a Mets fan. There's no argument on the matter. But during those seasons, the Mets were, at worst, good enough to contend right down to the last day. It just didn't end well. But it's not as though I've suffered through the George Foster years or the Craig Swan era (a fact pointed out to me by my cousin, though the credibility is lacking since he is a Manhasset, NY native who moved to Philadelphia and is now a rabid Phillies fan). The worst I've got is the Bobby Bonilla era or the Art Howe years. Hell, I've even got some pretty sweet Postseason memories of my own. But I was 7 years old in 1986. I'm too young to remember or appreciate it. I've never truly tasted that ultimate victory. I've never really been able to capture that moment and actually be able to say, "Holy Shit, the Mets are World Series Champions!"

Maybe, someday, I will. Until then, I'm just another schmuck rooting for the other team on the Wrong Side of Town.

Don't Care Anymore

2009-10-26T10:08:00.002-04:00

I suppose it's only fitting that this season of Mets Misery has come down to one final, horrible matchup between the two teams that we in Mets Nation can stand the absolute least. You could see this coming about a mile away, even when the playoffs started. You could try to use your cosmic strength to pick against them or put some reverse jinx on them, but you couldn't stop either of them, and now, here we are. World Series 2009, Yankees vs. Phillies for all the Marbles.

I want to vomit.

There's been a lot of talk amongst Mets fans about what we should do. How do we react to all this? The prevailing wisdom seems to be that the Mets fan should get behind the Phillies. It's the most sensible argument I've heard. The Yankee fan, smug as he/she may be, will, of course, say to us, "Hey, you're a New Yorker! You have to support your New York Teams. Civic Pride!" tongue in cheek, silently snickering at us. This is what it's come down to for us. It's like the Woody Allen concept of "The Horrible and The Miserable." And right now, those are the choices we've got right now. Fact is, I don't think either fan base gives a shit about who we support. They don't care about us. They're like the two-faced ass of a "friend" you have, who will be your pal to your face and then trash you behind your back. They take some sort of sick satisfaction in our suffering, and being in this situation, after the season we've been through, and given the state of affairs within the franchise, this is about as bad a time as we could ever possibly have as Mets fans.

But there is one other solution, that nobody's really talked about.

Don't watch. Don't care. Don't give any of them the satisfaction. Don't put yourself through this. Shut off your TV and go do something else. Read, or take a walk somewhere, or write something, or sit in a dark room and feel sorry for yourself. Doesn't matter. Just don't do this to yourself. I know that it's the last vestiges of the Baseball season, and I know that we like to cling to them as long as possible. But this season was so awful that we couldn't wait for it to end. So, this is my solution. It's over already. The 2009 Baseball season ended last night, far as I'm concerned. The World Series is just a rumor. I refuse to throw my support behind either team. I don't care who wins. I truly do not. People have already asked me who I root for in the World Series, and I've given them my answer. I'm rooting for the 2010 Mets. That's the next bit of meaningful Baseball I'm going to watch.

The Most Beautiful Failure

2009-10-19T00:27:00.002-04:00

October 19th, a rather unassuming day as it might seem, is a rather cathartic day for most Mets fans, at least those who remember some of the more memorable games that this team has played on October 19th.

On October 19th, 1986, the Mets played the Red Sox in Game 2 of the World Series. The game itself didn't turn out well for the Mets, but ultimately, they came back to win the World Series. So, in the long run, that wasn't necessarily a failure. But it wasn't especially good, either.

More appropriately, I look to games that the Mets played on October 19th 10 years ago, and three years ago. Both games resulted in losses that ended the Mets season. But it wasn't so much that the Mets lost that stuck with me. It was how they lost.

October 19th, 1999 and October 19th, 2006, both saw the Mets play games that might have been better suited for a stage, not so much a ballfield. This was art. This was pulsating drama of the highest order, and, ultimately, it was failure that left us with a tinge of pride. Beneath the frustration, there was the knowledge that we went down with our heads held high.

Perhaps it's still too soon to lump that Thursday night in 2006 in with its predecessor from 1999. This particular team and era of Mets baseball hasn't lived up to that promise since then, and that night, as harrowing as it was, still leaves a bad taste. After all, we were the favorite. We were in our own building. And we weren't trying to accomplish what, at the time, had never been done before. It was a night of prideful sadness.

And it wasn't the same as it was in 1999.

By all rights, it was enough of a miracle that the Mets had made it to October 19th, 1999. They were dead and buried more than once before getting to this game. They trailed their most hated nemesis, the Atlanta Braves, 3 games to 0 in the NLCS. Their best player was running on fumes. Their Manager was a walking controversy. The starting rotation was in shambles, with half the starting rotation having to work in the latter innings of another game the Mets refused to lose just two days earlier. That one ended up turning out in the Mets favor. Suddenly, the Mets weren't rolling over and dying. Suddenly, 3-0 had become 3-2.

That night seemed to pack every bit of frenetic tension from that month into one magnificent game. The Mets were down early. In fact, they were down so far, they may have been out early. But that was how the Mets rolled in '99. They always looked like they were out. Then they start chipping away and, and chipping away and all of a sudden there's that beaten-down warrior of a Catcher coming up with the biggest hit the Mets had seen in a decade, and a deficit that was once 0-5 had become 7-7. Everyone was chipping in, from the household names to guys you never heard of, like that Outfielder who was from Venezuela but at some point played in China who was all of a sudden playing like a 10-year veteran. Suddenly, that 3-2 becoming 3-4 didn't seem so farfetched.

But that magic ultimately ran out. Those Braves kept fighting back themselves, and in the end just managed to outlast us, to capitalize on one final mistake. It was the ending that hurt the most. But the way the Mets fought to get to that point stuck with us far longer than that ending.

It was 10 years ago today. October 19th, 1999. Perhaps the greatest loss in the History of the Mets.

The Hated Pool

2009-10-15T10:53:00.004-04:00

October is a Cruel Mistress, especially if you're a Mets fan, and while you'd like to say you could sit back and watch the League Championship Series that begin tonight, but considering MLB's Final Four consists of three teams I despise, and the Anaheim Angels, it's going to be a little tough to enjoy things. Especially considering the way I think these LCS will play out.

Here's the preview you probably weren't looking forward to:

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69, 3-1) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67, 3-0)

Ok, ok, so I don't dislike the Dodgers nearly as much as I dislike the Phillies. That doesn't mean that I like them, even though the whole "Great Betrayal" thing is getting a little stale, even with my Mother, who grew up in Brooklyn. My dislike of the Dodgers has been festering simply since 1988, when Mike Scioscia, Kirk Gibson and Orel Hershiser basically ruined my childhood. But try as they might, they just don't piss me off the same way the Phillies do, with their AL-style lineup and their loudmouth players who talk their junk and back it up, and, of course, Shane Victorino. These series have a habit of being swayed towards the team that has the hotter hand, and not necessarily the team with the most talent, and conventional wisdom would say that the Dodgers are the hotter team. They pretty much cut through a St. Louis team that didn't show up for the NLDS, and capitalized on a huge break when Matt Holliday dropped a fly ball in Game 2, a play that pretty much handed the series over to LA. Philly, on the other hand, really had to peck and scrape to get past the Rockies in 4, but when they came back to win, they did it in spectacular fashion, and did so aided by a suddenly rejuvenated Brad Lidge. Though Lidge wasn't sharp in Game 3, he did what was necessary, and those kinds of outings can build confidence. I hate the Phillies and it really pains me to say this, but although they may not be on the hot streak the Dodgers are on, they are simply the better team and I think they have proven over and over again that they have the ability to get up off the mat as many times as necessary in order to win games. So I don't see the Dodgers pulling this one off.
My pick: Phillies in 5. Split the first 2 in LA, but once the series moves to Philadelphia, LA has no shot.

Anaheim Angels (97-65, 3-0) vs. New York Yankees (143-19, 3-0)

I kid, but it really feels like it's true. The Mighty Yankees just don't lose very often, and they have bucked that trend that they had fallen into over most of the past several years of falling flat in Postseason series. You need look no further than their hottest hitter right now. Amazingly, it's Alex Rodriguez. It's the New Alex Rodriguez, who has turned around his October struggles and has now, perhaps, cemented his place in Baseball History. Of course, he still has two more steps to go, and the Anaheim Angels are certainly a formidable opponent, but you knew, in the back of your mind, even as a Yankee Hater, there was that fear. That fear that someday, A-Rod was actually going to get his head on straight and show up for a Postseason series. Someday, he was actually going to come up in the big spot and get that big hit. That was bound to happen someday, and now, it's happened. This stands to be a very tight, interesting series, and both teams are certainly playing well. The Angels did to Boston something similar to the Phillies: They played a series of close games, and proved themselves to be just a little bit better at firing that last punch than the Red Sox were. I certainly wouldn't count them out in this series, not at all, because they don't fear the Yankees and they play smart, heady baseball (Unfortunately, the Minnesota Twins also played smart, heady baseball, until it abandoned them), and have a roster of talented, professional and smart players who won't beat themselves. The Angels won't give the Yankees an inch. But still, I see one of those typical stupid Yankee postseason plays, like Derek Jeter leaping into the stands to make a catch and throwing out a runner at Home Plate (Triple Fist Pump!), or someone like Brett Gardner hitting a Game-tying HR and swinging the momentum the Yankees way.
My pick: Yankees in 6.

And, yes, should my picks hold to form, you can rest assured that I will not be watching the World Series.

2009 Mets: A Season In Futility, Part II

2009-10-14T00:27:00.000-04:00

We continue with our 2009 Mets Report Card. Now, the pitchers.

Mike Pelfrey - C
I named Mike Pelfrey one of my 5 Key Mets before the season assuming that he was probably going to build on his very successful season in 2008. I figured he was a prime candidate to break out and be the rock solid #2 starter behind Johan Santana. Wrong. I should have known something was wrong when, in the first game at Citi Field, Pelfrey was so cranked up he fell off the mound mid-windup, and followed that up by allowing 3 runs after 2 were out. Pelfrey had a good stretch during May and June when he was pitching well, but not winning and not getting much press, but he wasn't dominating like he did during a similar stretch in 2008. Then, in the 2nd half, he just fell flat. There was an occasional good start followed by a start when he would get hammered. He seemed to lose confidence in his pitches and he wasn't setting himself up the way he was in '08. There were the "Yips." There were the balks. There was muttering the pitch he was throwing. Put it all together and Pelfrey had basically undone all the good vibes he'd built up during the '08 season. Now, we're right back where we started with him. Talented, great potential, total fucking headcase. And no real way to tell whether or not he'll ever recapture his form from '08. It's possible that this regression was caused by Pelfrey's inning load in '08, and rather than breaking down, he just pitched poorly, and perhaps he'll rebound in 2010. But sometimes, he just looked so out of sorts that it's hard to know whether this just got too in his head. Next year will probably tell us the story. By the time next year is over, we'll know what we have.

Johan Santana - A-
Pitched hurt and it showed when his unconscious start fizzled out into inconsistency and even the occasional alarming bombing. Probably could have pitched through the bone chips, but given that the season was in the toilet and it wasn't worth risking further damage, so it's just as well that he sat out after August and had the surgery. It's a far better end result than that constant fear that he needed Tommy John surgery. He'll be fine by Spring Training, the same old Johan we know and love.

Livan Hernandez - C-
Started out by eating innings, ended up getting eaten. Was about what we expected him to be, which was a C- pitcher and the predictable 5th starter. There was talk about trading him to a contender, but after he got hammered for 8 runs and 13 hits in 4 straight outings, there was no chance anyone was going to take him, and so what happened? The Mets cut him and he ended up going back from whence he came, the only team worse than the Mets: The Washington Nationals. A perfect marriage.

Tim Redding - D+
Redding pretty much put up the same numbers as Livan, but unlike Livan, no good ever seemed to come from him pitching, so he gets a D+. Redding usually had nice outings against Philly, but not against anyone else.

Bobby Parnell - C
Good stuff, annoyingly inconsistent. Which made him a perfect fit for this team. Ended up getting jobbed in as a starter. That didn't go well, even if he had one good start. Better suited in a setup role if he can find some consistency.

John Maine - C+
Maine is officially at a crossroads. Counted on to shoulder the load as the #3 starter at worst, and counted on to show us that he was fully healthy, Maine instead broke down again and missed a huge chunk of the season. This is now two years in a row that Maine has gone into the season with high expectations and fallen flat. So, he's On Notice. I am officially concerned that John Maine, while he has very good stuff and clearly knows how to pitch, does not have the durability to get through an entire Major League season with sustained success. He needs to come out of the gate with the same fire that he showed in 2007, put guys away, minimize damage, go deep into games and come away with wins. Otherwise, he's just another guy who the Mets have sold high to us based on a successful 3/4 of a season and a couple of nice playoff outings in 2006.

Brian Stokes - B
The line says he pitched tolerably well. So I guess he did. Looks like Zach Braff.

Nelson Figueroa - C
I'm giving Figueroa this high of a grade because I saw him make 3 starts this season. On August 3rd (the infamous TERRIBLE!!! game), I quite literally thought his career as a Major Leaguer was over. He got lit up in such an embarrassing fashion that I figured there was no way in hell he would ever take the mound again. Yet, there he was, 2 days later, pitching well. And on September 20th, there he was, making an admirably good start against the Braves, losing only because his offense failed to generate any support for him. And by season's end, October 4th, Figueroa was putting the season to bed by hurling his first Major League Shutout against the Astros. This is one case where he didn't give up, and the Mets didn't give up on him. He's not at all someone to build around, but if nothing else, he's a nice story that can be taken away from this mess.

Sean Green - F
High point of the season came on Opening Day, when he led the New Bullpen Parade and the Mets won. Followed that up by turning into the second coming of the man he was traded for, Aaron Heilman. Dude even had a similar looking windup and a slider that constantly moved low and outside and usually resulted in a Wild Pitch or a hit batsman or a bases-loaded walk.

Francisco Rodriguez - B
He didn't pitch especially well down the stretch, but given that his primary motivation is to come in in late and close situations and shut the door, and given that that just didn't happen very much for the Mets, I'm willing to let it pass just a little bit. But far too often, he came into games where the Mets trailed by a run (mainly because he hadn't gotten an actual save opportunity in God knows how long) and ended up putting the Mets in a deeper hole. Then, there were the two walk-off Grand Slams he allowed. I'm inclined to think he will be better next year, with more consistent work and more consistent opportunities to do what he does best. Then again, there's no guarantee that he'll get those opportunities.

Oliver Perez - F
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pedro Feliciano - B+
People felt I was overly harsh on him last season. So this season, I'm being nice and giving him a high grade because he pitched the whole season, pitched well, got the key outs when there were key outs to be had, and didn't get hurt.

Pat Misch - C
Pitched tolerably well as a starter, sort of in that Parnell mode. Mixed in a good start amongst several bad ones. Perfectly mediocre, back of the rotation/middle of the bullpen lefty.

Fernando Nieve - B
Pitched surprisingly well, far better than anyone would have expected, over several starts, beginning with the surprise outing of the season against the Yankees. So, in typical 2009 Mets fashion, he got hurt running the bases and was done for the season. Surprised? Yeah, me neither.

Elmer Dessens
I laughed every time he took the mound, only to keep myself from crying.

J.J. Putz - C-
Lived up to his name, mainly because he was hurt and somehow was either told he could pitch through it, or decided he could pitch through it. Also because he was a closer in the 8th inning setup guy role that somehow entered to a closer's fanfare, complete with the AC/DC blaring and the vertigo-inducing video display.

Ken Takahashi - F
Can be lumped in with other Japanese Flops such as Takashi Kashiwada, Satoru Komiyama and that other guy who got suspended for using steroids before he ever got to pitch with the team. I can say this based solely on one game, one pitch to Raul Ibanez that basically started the team on the downward spiral. Yusaku Iriki, that's his name. Just another dunce who shouldn't be brought back.

Jon Niese
Too bad he got hurt. He was starting to find himself at the Major League level. Definitely like his stuff and the upside he brings, and would much rather see him in the 2010 rotation than, say, Tim Redding, or Jose Contreras, or Jon Garland or whatever aging loser Omar picks off the scrap heap.

Lance Broadway
Acquired in the Castro trade and led to too many stupid "Broadway pitching on Broadway!" jokes.

Tobi Stoner
With a name like that, all I could think was that he would have been a better fit with the Tony Tarasco-era Mets.

Casey Fossum
When you're throwing Casey Fossum out there at some point during the season, chances are your record is going to end up in the neighborhood of 70-92.

Jon Switzer
I never actually saw him and I don't know who he is, and judging by the numbers he put up, it's probably better that way.

Darren O'Day
Wasn't good in his week plus with the Mets and got shipped off to Texas, where he made his debut with the team under the assumed name of Kason Gabbard.

Billy Wagner
Just give him kudos for coming back and chalking up 2 Ks in his return. Not much more could have been asked.

MANAGER
Jerry Manuel - C-
I'm somewhat willing to give Manuel the benefit of the doubt based on the fact that he had to deal with the injuries and the pieces he was given. But once again, his in-game strategies left quite a bit to be desired, and as the losses mounted, and the team continued to look lifeless, we basically just got treated to Jerry Manuel's nightly chortle. Thing is, many of us failed to find this as funny as he did, or at least found it funny for different reasons. It's one thing to say that Manuel was limited because of all the injuries. But the Mets were barely staying afloat while the guys were healthy. And there's no excuse for how lifeless and hopeless the Mets looked at the end of the season when, given ample opportunity to be the spoiler, the Mets just lay down and died. Where was the motivation? Who was supposed to do the motivating? Who's to say that Willie Randolph did a worse job than Manuel did? Manuel will be back. Fine. I'll give him a full season with the healthy team he was supposed to have, plus or minus whoever is brought in. Let's see what happens. I'm pretty sure that if, and this is a very big IF, the Mets turn this thing around and are a winning team in 2010, it won't be because of Jerry Manuel. It'll be because they have the talent and the chemistry to do it themselves.

GM
Omar Minaya - D
On an even hotter seat than Manuel, and there's a good chance that the only reason he still has a job at all is because he got a contract extension at the end of 2008. I've made my complaints about Omar many times before. He's reactionary, rather than a forward thinker. He makes moves with an eye on the present and not the future. He's built a team that was built to win 3 years ago and didn't make any sort of contingency plan in case of injury, and this was exploited to the point of embarrassment in 2009. He's got a lot to do to convince us, now, that he's capable of the task. 3 years ago, he was on top of the world. He responded by standing pat with a team that had holes to begin with, and managed to make trades that appeared to be for cosmetic purposes only, just to let people know he was awake and alive. Yes, there was the occasional splash, and Omar Minaya made a great trade to get Johan Santana in here, and Jeff Francoeur was similarly a good move. But those also weren't moves that required a great deal of thought. Those were no-brainer deals. Any GM could have gone out there and done that. If Omar wants to get his mojo back, he's going to have to pull off some deals that will shock the hell out of all of us. And I'm not totally sold that he's got that in him.

STADIUM
Citi Field - B
I give it a B for now, and an A- for the future. It's got its flaws, and I know it's got no shortage of critics. But I like Citi Field. It's a very aesthetically pleasing park to look at, I never sat in an obstructed seat (because I sat in the same seat 14 of 16 games), the food was OUTSTANDING, and the bathrooms were nice. No, it's not perfect. The staircases instead of ramps and escalators are problematic. The lack of Mets representation is somewhat appalling (and from what I've been told, is the fault of Jeff Wilpon, the Boy-King, who for some bizarre reason believed that Shea Stadium was cursed, despite the fact that the Mets won 2 World Series Championships there), but the organization is supposedly fixing this (that is, if you can believe what the organization says). And, look, there's not much you or I or anyone else can do. Citi Field is here to stay. Hopefully, we'll create some new, good memories and great times there with the Mets in the future and erase the bad taste of this season. I want to remember the energy of Opening Night, Citi Field full and rocking. Not late in the season, with a tepid crowd of 8,000. It's not the stadium's fault that the team stunk its first year.

So, that about wraps it up. The Mets have a lot of holes and not a lot of means with which to fix them, if they're going to make the trades to do it. The big things are:
1) #2 Starting Pitcher
2) 1st Baseman
3) Left Fielder

Maybe a Right Fielder if you're not sold on Francoeur. But if you really want to dig a little deeper, we can list the following:
4) Rebuild Farm System
5) Better US Amateur Scouting
6) More motivated coaches

Failing all that, we have to start hacking the head. If the team doesn't improve, you're going to hear the grumblings get even louder.
7) New Manager
8) New General Manager
9) New Ownership/Upper Front Office

Nobody will ever know how much the Wilpons were taken for by Madoff. Nobody will know what really goes on behind the scenes with them and Minaya and Dave Howard. If the Mets win, who the hell cares? If the Mets win, everything's wonderful and everyone's doing a great job. But when the Mets lose, and when the Mets lose in manners that make you scratch your heads, manners that are frustrating, mystifying and embarrassing, we blame everyone. It starts with the players, and works its way to the top. And this year, everyone in the organization was well worthy of all the blame heaped on them.

Now, they have to fix it. I don't have the energy to offer all the solutions. None of us do. All I can do is wish them luck.

2009 Mets: A Season In Futility, Part I

2009-10-13T00:23:00.001-04:00

It's no great secret that the 2009 Mets suffered through a totally miserable season. It was disappointing, but in a different way than the two seasons before it. This season started with the same promise as 2008 and 2007. But the early optimism gave way early on to several problems, beginning with the same clutch failures that haunted the Mets down the stretch in '07 and '08, and then was compounded with a rash of major injuries to many of the players that were counted on to carry the load over the course of the season. Mets players logged over 1,450 days on the DL in 2009, by far and away the most in the majors. But it was the result of those injuries that was most alarming.

It's very easy to call out the Mets for a major disconnect between team staff, medical staff and players, and this was one of several embarrassments the club suffered during the season. But what was most galling for me was the relative lack of concern showed by the team's front office. For the powers that be, this season was about one thing and one thing only: Showcasing their shimmering new palace that a large chunk of fans didn't seem to like very much. Players come and go, but Citi Field stands above all. So, as key player after key player found themselves out for a majority of the season, the Mets had no adequate replacement, and made no effort whatsoever to acquire an adequate replacement. The Mets became an utter laughingstock. Uncompetitive, Uninspiring and Uninteresting. The end of the season was met with relief, the kind of feeling I'd never experienced in all my years rooting for the team. The trepidation of the past two seasons was a joy compared to this.

The Mets used 53 players in all during the 2009 season. Most of them were unremarkable. When you use 53 players in a season, it generally means things aren't going well. It also means that I have to split my Final Report card into 2 parts. Today, we'll review the position players. Tomorrow, we'll review the Pitchers, the Manager, the GM and everything else. This is going to be as painful for me to write as it probably is for you all to read.

CATCHERS
Omir Santos - B-
Santos was, for a while, one of those unsung welcome rays of sunlight for the Mets. Called up to replace an injured Ramon Castro, Santos came up with several clutch hits, most notably his Replay HR against Jonathan Papelbon in better times. But as the season wore on, Santos came back to earth and eventually, he found himself lost in a 3-catcher shuffle. He stopped hitting, and he rarely, if ever, took a walk. Clearly, he's worth having around. I don't, however, think he's the answer as a starting Catcher.

Brian Schneider - F
One of my problems with Schneider being the everyday catcher for the Mets was the fact that, last season, he had a serious inability to hit at certain moments. This problem dogged him just about all season, as Schneider found himself on the interstate for most of the year. Only a late hot streak (which I guess you could have expected would happen once the season was in the tank) managed to get his average up to a mediocre .218. This was, I suppose, his contract push. It got to the point where every time he started a game, I threw up my arms. There just wasn't any good reason for him to play. It's not that Santos was light years better, but, this is Brian Schneider, perhaps the most boring player on a boring team. Free Agent, won't return if Omar knows what's good for him.

Ramon Castro - D-
It really surprises me how many supporters Castro has out there. It's ridiculous. Castro can hit, but as I've said many times over, he's just not durable enough to be an everyday player. This season played out predictably. He got hurt again, Santos played well, he got shipped out of town and the highlight of his season in Chicago was catching a perfect game from Mark Buehrle. He's a guy that people want to play every day, but he doesn't seem to want to play more than 2 days a week. Nice clubhouse presence, I guess. Nice moments in his 3+ years with the Mets, I guess. But it's mostly fleeting. Won't be missed. You'll see.

Josh Thole - B+
I really liked what he showed in his late-season callup. Won't hit for power, but has great bat control and can put together a good At-Bat that actually ends with a hit and sometimes even a run. What concerns me is that his hot start at the plate was all too reminiscent of Daniel Murphy in 2008, and that did not translate to long-term success. Remains to be seen, but I wouldn't have a problem giving Thole the everyday job at the start of 2010, assuming an established veteran is not brought in (and there are larger concerns for the Mets than Catcher, believe me).

INFIELDERS
David Wright - C+
I don't know if anyone has an adequate explanation as to why David Wright all of a sudden stopped hitting for power. At the beginning of the season, you figured it was a pretty safe bet that Wright would chalk up a .310 average, 30 HRs and 110 RBIs, without question. We instead got a .307 average, 10 HRs and 71 RBIs that he struggled to get, even before taking a Matt Cain fastball to the head in August. The drop in power is one thing. You can chalk that up to him having little to no lineup protection most of the season, I guess (or am I just kidding myself into thinking that). More alarming were his 140 strikeouts, by far and away his career high. All of a sudden, David Wright became a predictable out. You threw him a slider on the first pitch, he'd swing and miss, come inside with a fastball and he'd foul it off to the right side, and then throw the dinky slider again and watch him wave at it. Bad, bad, bad. Wright has a leadership desire and a bulldog facade, but inside, I have the feeling that he's just an insecure mess. He tries so hard and it makes him crazy when he doesn't succeed. He wears every failure on his face and sometimes I think it snowballs out of control. I don't know if it's quite so cut and dry as to say he needs more practice (Practice?). There's some other problem there that needs to be fixed if we're going to get the David Wright we were used to back in 2010.

Daniel Murphy - C
Daniel Murphy, whether it was deserved or not, ended up being the poster boy for the Mets failures in 2009. After his hot arrival in 2008, he was counted on to carry the load for the Mets in the #2 spot in the order, be that guy to grind out key hits, move runners up or even drive them in if necessary. He had the skill. He had the polish. He had a really cold streak down the stretch that everyone conveniently forgot. We wanted to believe he was more than an overglorified bench player, and whatever the organization sold us, we absolutely ate up. I pointed out, when I named Murphy one of my five key Mets, that there was a lot that could go wrong with Murphy. And a lot did. He proved himself incapable of fielding his position in the outfield, and only got a shot at 1st Base because Delgado was injured. He didn't hit like we thought he would, at least for most of the first chunk of the season, and ended up stuck with a batting average of .248 for about 3 months straight. He showed some spark late in the season, but ultimately only hit .266 for the season, and his 12 HRs embarrassingly led the team. I suppose he'll get another shot to succeed, but I have the feeling that he's not going to be the answer for this team at any particular position.

Luis Castillo - B+
I would have given him an A- were it not for this particular incident, that seemed to typify the Mets season. But in all seriousness, Castillo needs to be given a lot of credit for getting himself back together and having what was for him a respectable season. He knew he was awful in 2008, so he went out and made sure it didn't happen again. We were all skeptical, and we knew we were stuck with his contract, but at least he went out there every day (at least when he wasn't spraining his ankle walking down the dugout steps), and played respectably well, even when nobody else around him was.

Fernando Tatis - F
Chris Woodward was decent in 2005 and was brought back in 2006 and was awful. Moises Alou had a great stretch run in 2007 and parlayed that into returning to play about 10 games in 2008. Marlon Anderson had a great season in 2007, was retained for 2008 and was terrible. Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 "One Year Wonder that should have been let go" winner, Fernando Tatis!

Alex Cora - C-
Should not have been playing as much as he did when he ended up getting injured, and should not have been playing much after that. Supposedly a good clubhouse presence, but I refuse to believe that that should be reason enough for bringing him back for 2010. There are better non-tendered guys you can find to fill out your bench with.

Jose Reyes - B-
All of a sudden now Reyes has turned back into the brittle kid he was when he first came up. I'm inclined to think that this was just a freak injury that was mismanaged into something worse. Or maybe that's just my hope. But once Reyes went down, and once it became apparent that he wasn't coming back for the remainder of the season, no matter how hard he may have tried (and I believe he tried as hard as he could), the Mets were screwed. I'm beginning to get a little tired of people questioning his character. Yes, he often leaves you scratching your head and I think his excitement and zeal for the game more often than not gets in the way of his logic on the field. But when he plays, and when he plays well, the Mets play well. Simple as that. But if I'm wrong, and I may very well be wrong, this may finally be the season that Reyes plays himself out of New York, and other teams can stop hating us because of him.

Anderson Hernandez - C
The major midseason move to bolster an injury-riddled infield. Somehow managed to hit more than he did in his first go-around with the Mets, which isn't saying much because he didn't hit at all back then.

Carlos Delgado - B-
Out of all the injuries, this one bothered me the most because I think Delgado was just beginning to hit his stride when he went down. I was sort of looking forward to a season of Carlos Delgado laying a full-scale assault on everyone sitting in the Pepsi Porch, which probably would have happened. It was tough to say what would have happened, given how up and down he was in 2008, but considering how hot he was at the end of the season, and considering he was presumed to be healthy at the outset in 2009, there was no reason to think he would have had a major dropoff. Or that he would have been submarined by a major injury. If this is it for him with the Mets, I tip my cap to him and thank him for 2006 and the stretch run in '08.

Wilson Valdez - D+
Crappy useless retread.

Ramon Martinez - F
Did not use the excellent Speedy Gonzalez music during his at bats this year and also did not provide the same unexpected spark he did during those final desperate games last season. The latter wasn't exactly a surprise. Defensively lived up to his middle initial of E.

Nick Evans - C
Evans got off to a lousy start in AAA ball after a great spring where he got cut on the last day, but when he was recalled in June, he hit, and he made his hits count. But for some reason the Mets organization has decided that they don't like Nick Evans, and so they've decided to just let him sit and rot on the bench as opposed to letting him play, because he's more than likely better than half the garbage they trotted out there for most of the 2nd half of the season. I don't see how, exactly, this is his fault, but so be it. They liked him enough to bat him 5th in the last game of the season in 2008, but not enough to give him any kind of a shot the following season. I don't understand it.

Angel Berroa - D
Useless retread crap.

Argenis Reyes
I thought the Mets had cut him in the offseason. Then he appeared at some point and I realized I was mistaken.

Marlon Anderson
Quite literally was only kept aboard as roster filler for the first 4 games of the season before Livan Hernandez was activated. I don't know where or if he resurfaced, which is to say he did nothing noteworthy this season.

Andy Green
Walked in his first Met plate appearance and this was somehow the impetus for a standing ovation. Yes, things were that bad.

OUTFIELDERS
Angel Pagan - B
He looked good quite a bit of the time, and he also looked rather clueless quite a bit of the time as well. He also looked good at the outset last season, but it's easy to forget that he had come back to earth by time he got injured in May. I don't know if this translates to long-term success. I don't even know if this will translate to short-term success. But he does bring something to the team, which is more than I can say for a lot of the players they used over the course of the season. I have the feeling that, similar to Murphy, he will be exposed if he's used every day. But he could be one of those guys in the Endy Chavez vein, that is to say he'll provide a spark off the bench and plays solid defense (I believe he does play solid defense, right?). Should be back, but I don't want to hear everyone get up in arms when he's not named a starter.

Carlos Beltran - B
If only because missing 2 months wiped out what was shaping up to be an outstanding season for him. This was the year he was playing like we expected him to play every year. His numbers were great when he got hurt, and he hadn't even hit one of his ridiculous hot streaks yet. By time he returned, and he should be applauded for returning (which is a good indicator of how bad things had gotten), things were too far gone and there was too little protection for him to make much difference.

Jeff Francoeur - B
There's plenty to complain about as far as Francoeur is concerned, chief of which is the fact that he swings from his ass and doesn't walk at all. His defense is somewhat middling, and is all based on the reputation of his cannon of an arm which is only sporadically accurate. But on the other side, the change of scenery obviously worked for him because he played light years better with the Mets than he had with Atlanta. Far as the trade, it was more or less a no-brainer. I don't recall Church doing anything remarkable with Atlanta and at least Francoeur has some meager degree of upside. His down-home, Southern Boy personality somehow managed to jive in New York, and he fit right in in the clubhouse and appeared to assume a bit of a leadership role with the team. A very affable, likable guy who will probably be back, although I don't know if it's necessarily wise to consider him one of the team's new cornerstones. With hesitation, I'll give him a full season to see what he can do here, but if he's not good, I have no problem with letting him go.

Gary Sheffield - A
Gets an A because he girded up his 40-year old legs and played respectably well when he was healthy, and also to the best of my knowledge was a model citizen for most of the season except for a spat with Omar over a contract, and he diffused the situation himself before it got out of hand. Showed some glimpses of his former self at times, didn't embarrass himself at any point (at least not that I can remember), and even provided the first historical moment in Citi Field with his 500th career HR in April. Wants to come back. Wants to be a Met. I don't know, however, if the organization wants to bring him back and for that matter I don't know if he should be brought back at age 41.

Ryan Church - C-
I wish him well, but it clearly wasn't going to work for him here. The trade was, for the most part, my headache for your headache.

Jeremy Reed - D+
Annoyingly inoffensive.

Cory Sullivan - D+
I know he did something well at some point but I also know that after that he didn't do much of anything. El Guapo and I also couldn't identify his At-Bat music, but we decided it was a song by his band, Sandbag, or Grassfrog, or Asskick, or Dirtbag, or whatever the hell it's called.

Fernando Martinez - D+
Played like an overwhelmed rookie most of the time. Not ready yet. But also may not be as good as the organization wants us to believe. And right now, does anyone believe anything the organization tells us?

Emil Brown
Whatever.

Are you numb yet? More to come tomorrow...

A Happy Prattiversary!

2009-10-09T00:54:00.003-04:00

It is the 10th Anniversary of what I consider to be the single greatest Baseball Game I've ever attended. In recognition, I'm reaching into the Annals of the Ballclub and pulling up a classic piece that originally appeared as Part IV of the "20 Days In October" series that chronicled the Mets journey through the 1999 Postseason.

Take a step back in time with me, friends, to Saturday, October 9th, 1999.
* * *
Saturday, October 9
Game 4

It was probably about 8AM when I woke up. I was too amped up to sleep that night, and I was too amped up to stand around at home before I headed out to Shea. I arrived at around 10:30.

I was meeting my friend, who had the tickets, at around 11:30.

So, stand and wait. It was unseasonably warm for early October. The banners outside the stadium, which all season had read the Mets slogan of "ARE YOU READY..." now triumphantly read "ARE YOU READY...FOR THE POSTSEASON!" Everything seemed a little more electric this late morning.

This was real.

My friend finally arrived, with a handful of extra tickets. How he managed to get so many, I'll never know. He had his ways. But he was intent on going around and selling off as many as he could. I wanted no part of it. I was going into the stadium.

Mezzanine Reserved, Section 12, Row K, Seat 20. That's where I was.

First look. D'Backs BP.

Nothing but a simple NLDS logo on the outfield fence. The bunting was up. I'm a big fan of bunting. John Madden said it best: "That's when you know it's a big game. When they get out the bunting, that means it's gotta be a big game."

The scoreboard tells me everything I need to know. Only 3 games today. This 1:10 start time would coincide with Game 4 of the Braves/Astros series, with the Braves looking to put away Houston in the Astrodome. What a matchup that would be, the Mets and the Braves in the NLCS. The bad blood that had been festering since late September was already beginning to brew.
Still, more important things to take care of before we can worry about Atlanta. The Diamondbacks are tough, and certainly won't go away easily. The crowd knows this, and as game time approaches, the crowds coming out of the Subway, back when you could still easily exit the subway, grew larger and larger.

And inside the stadium, it just got more and more electric. Keith and Mookie throw out the first pitches, and we're ready.
All season long, the Mets had used the intro to Pink Floyd's "Time" as their pregame entrance music. For the Postseason, they switched the song. The outro from The Beatles "A Day In The Life" built to its crescendo as the Mets take the field...

...giving way to Bruce Springsteen's "Rosalita," as Al Leiter warmed up. Leiter deservedly was given a hero's welcome, pitching for the first time since his sterling 2-hit shutout in the Wildcard Play-In game last Monday. He would be opposed by Brian Anderson for Arizona, in a somewhat controversial move by D'Backs manager Buck Showalter. The logic dictated that he should hold Randy Johnson back for a potential Game 5 in Arizona, on his normal rest. But trailing 2 games to 1, there's no guarantee that there will be a Game 5. Still, Showalter went with Anderson, a lefty, on this afternoon.

Todd Pratt still starts behind the plate. It's unknown to me, although they mention on ESPN that Mike Piazza's thumb has not improved. It's wrapped so heavily that it's unlikely he's able to even pinch hit should the case present itself. Little do we know the role Todd Pratt will play on this afternoon. What we know is that Tony Womack is stepping in to lead off, and begin what will be a most memorable day at Shea Stadium.

At 2-2 to Womack, the entire crowd, jammed to the rafters, is up and screaming. We're on every 2-strike pitch. Womack hits a screamer into left-center. Darryl Hamilton, in a rare start against the lefty, races back and runs it down.

Hamilton is in there based solely on a hunch Valentine has. He's in for defense behind Leiter, a fly-ball pitcher.

With 1 out, Jay Bell draws the walk. He's running on the 1-1 pitch to Luis Gonzalez, but Pratt's throw is right on the money, and Bell is thrown out. Gonzalez flies to center to end the inning. Off to a good start.

But Anderson will prove to be just as tough in the early going. Only an Olerud single in the first, and through the first 3 innings, that's it for either team in what has clearly started out as a pitchers duel. Leiter continues by setting down the D'Backs 1-2-3 in the top of the 4th.

But Edgardo Alfonzo leads off in the 4th and promptly hits one out, a long, high fly ball out into the left field bleachers. Fans are jumping off the walls as Fonzie rounds the bases, the conquering hero. It's his 3rd HR of the series, and the Mets have the lead, 1-0.

But the lead is short-lived. Still working on a no hitter, Leiter has one out in the 5th when Greg Colbrunn, the righty half of the D'Backs first base platoon, hits a shot even higher than Fonzie's, deep into left field, hooking towards the wall, and the D'Backs bullpen. Rickey gives chase, jumps at the wall, but it's gone. First hit, first run, and a 1-1 tie.

But after a single from Steve Finley, Leiter settles back down and retires the D'Backs. But Anderson continues to mow down the Mets in the 5th. In the 6th, Leiter hits Bell with 2 outs. But nothing comes of it, and the Mets bat in their half of the inning with the top of the order against Anderson.

Rickey leads off the inning by making Anderson completely nuts. After working the count to 2-2, Rickey begins swinging at everything Anderson throws, and Anderson simply refuses to give in to Rickey. Foul after foul after foul. Finally, on the 14th pitch of the at bat, Rickey punches a flare into right field for a hit. After Alfonzo pops out, Olerud follows by ripping a single in between Finley and Gonzalez, moving Rickey all the way to 3rd. Now we're talking.

Agbayani follows it up by smashing a long double off the wall in right center, scoring Rickey, and moving Olerud to 3rd with 1 out. Here's the ice-breaker, the rally we've been looking for all afternoon.

But the Mets can't cash in on the opportunity. Ventura grounds back to Anderson, and Pratt follows by grounding out himself. After all that, it's still just a 2-1 game.

But Leiter continues to be well in control. Through the 7th, nothing, and he appears poised to cruise through the 8th as well. With 2 outs and nobody on, he's cruising. But, uncharacteristically, Leiter walks the pinch hitter Turner Ward on 4 pitches. Womack follows that up by hitting a chopper towards Fonzie. Fonzie seems to have it, but all of a sudden drops it, and that split second's difference is enough to allow Womack to beat it out for an infield hit.

Still, seems no bother. But Leiter is done for the afternoon, and leaves to an ovation larger and louder than the one he received at the outset. Leiter tips his cap to all corners of the stadium as he exits. Benitez is coming in to face Jay Bell.

On ESPN, Ray Knight warns of Bell's power. "Jay Bell loooooooves the fastball, middle in!" he states.

And on the 2-1 pitch, that's exactly what Benitez throws. And Bell hammers it, deep, deep to left. And as the ball flies, the air is sucked out of Shea Stadium. It's off the wall. Melvin Mora, in the game for Rickey, has the ball bounce away from him, and not only does Ward score, but Womack flies in behind him. All of a sudden, the D'Backs, who had looked dead all afternoon, have stormed ahead 3-2.

Shell shock. I feel like crying. Total, out of nowhere sucker punch. Gonzalez is intentionally walked. Matt Williams follows by lining a sharp single through the hole and into left. The Meltdown continues. But this kid Mora charges up on the ball as Bell rounds third, and his throw home is strong, but slightly up the first base line. But Pratt manages to grab the ball and lunge back towards Bell. The tag is barely in time. Bell is out. The rally is stopped. The inning is over.

Funny how it's the guy you least expect making the key play. Mora's throw was huge.

The Twilight Zone is about to begin.

The D'Backs switch their defense around in the bottom of the 8th. For one, Womack moves from Shortstop to Right Field, out in the sunlight. Gregg Olson takes over on the mound, trying to bridge the gap to closer Matt Mantei. Alfonzo leads off, looking to atone for his momentary bobble. Fonzie fouls off a couple of close pitches, but works out the walk. With Olerud up, Showalter immediately summons his lefty, Greg Swindell.

I don't know if Olerud's time at bat was as long as it seemed. Sitting at Shea, it feels like Olerud is at bat for 10 minutes, working the count and fouling off Swindell's pitches. Perhaps Swindell was slow. Perhaps he kept throwing to first to keep Fonzie close. But Olerud keeps himself alive before swatting a long, deep drive out to right. Off the bat, it seems an easy play for Womack. But the ball keeps carrying further and further out to right, and Womack keeps drifting, and drifting after it. And for a split second it might be over his head...But no. Womack appears to settle under it...

...And it bounces out of his glove! He blew it! Finley scampers over in a dead panic, and fires back in, just barely able to hold Fonzie at 3rd and Olerud at 2nd. Just the break the Mets needed in this particular spot.

Cedeno follows, having entered the game as a defensive replacement for Agbayani. And Cedeno hits a long fly ball of his own, towards a similar spot. But this time, Finley will have none of Womack's staggering around. He takes charge from the start, and cuts in front of Womack to make the catch. But it's too deep for him to be able to throw out Alfonzo, Olerud takes 3rd, and once again, the game is tied, 3-3. I can breathe again. Which was good considering that things were only starting to get interesting.

Ventura would be walked intentionally, and following this, Showalter would make his most puzzling move of all. He brings in Mantei, his closer, into a tie game. Not only that, he double switches Mantei into the game, moving Lenny Harris to 3rd, and removing Matt Williams from the game. Williams, his best hitter and best fielder on the infield, had made the last out in the top of the 8th, and you would figure Showalter wouldn't pitch Mantei for more than 2 innings. So why make the switch when you would just as easily have hit for Mantei when his spot came up? Not that I was complaining; better to not have Matt Williams come up in a spot where he could beat us.

Pratt is up, with a chance to get that big hit. But he can't. On a 1-1 pitch, Pratt slaps a grounder right back at Mantei, who charges home and tags Olerud in a rundown. 2 outs.

Darryl Hamilton follows. On 1-1, it appears that Ventura has himself picked off second. But Arizona's catcher, Kelly Stinnett, has no idea where he's going with the ball. He charges out from behind the plate and double pumps twice before finally uncorking a wide throw to second, and Ventura is able to scamper back in safely, averting disaster. Hamilton will work the count full before hitting a slicing line drive down the left field line. It's hooking, but it looks like it might drop in...

...But it hooks just foul. Barely foul. Down the line, the crowd starts cheering as if it were fair, but Charlie Williams, the LF umpire made the foul call.

Cookie Rojas does not agree. He shouts at Williams, and is immediately ejected. Rojas then flips out completely, charging at Williams before Valentine can come out to restrain him. Williams and Rojas continue shouting vehemently at each other. Valentine holds out his arms to restrain Rojas. But it's not enough. Williams nudges Rojas, and Rojas responds by shoving Williams in the chest. It will take a crowd of Valentine, Ventura and Mookie Wilson before Rojas is finally calmed down enough to return to the clubhouse.

In the booth, Berman and Knight argue over the call. Knight is adamant that the ball was fair, and that Williams had baited Rojas. Replays show that the ball was just barely foul, perhaps by an inch or two. Knight still isn't convinced.

Meanwhile, the Mets are in need of a 3rd base coach. In the chaos, Bobby Valentine takes over at 3rd. He begins by glaring directly at Mantei, as he finally resumes pitching to Hamilton.

"Oh by the way, it's Ball Four." is the call from Berman, as Mantei's pitch is wide.

Ordonez hits next, and Ordonez fouls off a few pitches himself before striking out to end the inning.

After all that, there's still more to be played? Man. I take a few deep breaths just to make sure I'm still alive.

Benitez resumes in the 9th and survives with no drama. 2 strikeouts, and the D'Backs are done. In the bottom of the 9th, Mantei remains in the game. He has to, now. He begins by facing Matt Franco, batting for Benitez. Franco will work out the walk to put the winning run aboard. Melvin Mora is next, and as he would make a habit of doing over these few weeks, he does the little thing. His bunt is perfectly placed between Mantei and Bell, and with no chance to get Franco at second, his sacrifice is successful. And so it's down to Fonzie, and we're all convinced that Fonzie, who has carried the Mets through this recent stretch, come up with every clutch hit and driven in every big run, will deliver the hit here to win the game, and win the series.

But he doesn't. He pops out. And after Olerud is intentionally walked. Cedeno grounds into the fielders choice to send an already crazy game into extra innings.

"Gosh, I love this game!" Knight yells in the booth.

In the 10th, John Franco comes on for the Mets. He strikes out Stinnett. Harris follows by hitting a high chopper between the mound and first base. Alfonzo charges in, but it's Franco leaping off the mound to glove the ball and make the toss to first. Womack grounds out.

Mantei, whose spot still hasn't come up in the batting order, is still on in the 10th. But as a closer who has already thrown 35 pitches, one has to wonder how much he's got left in the tank. Ventura helps him out by swinging at the first pitch and popping out to Womack. Pratt is next, and Mantei's first pitch is a curveball of the 55 foot variety, bouncing into the seats.

* * *

There are certain events where you think back and wonder where you were, and what you were doing at that particular moment. What went through your mind?
As the ball left Todd Pratt's bat, I could see it was hit well. For some reason, I took that moment to reach for my camera. I watched Finley go to the wall and jump. I saw him come down. What happened after that, I'm not quite sure. As the crowd at Shea erupted, I snapped pictures. I remember thinking distinctly to myself "Did I really just see that? Did he really just do that?"

Oh, that's hit well to Center Field! Finley goes back...back...back...(cheers) IT'S OVER! IT'S OVER! TODD PRATT! ONE OF THE MOST UNLIKELY HEROES HAS HIT IT TO DEAD CENTER FIELD! THE METS HAVE WON IT IN 10, 4 TO 3!

-Chris Berman

Chaos erupts on the field. Mets are jumping all over the place. Rey Ordonez and Luis Lopez run clear across the infield, ready to jump Pratt as he comes around 3rd base. Diamondbacks players are glumly walking off the field. Security personnel are running all over the place. Mounted police line the outfield. Fireworks begin booming beyond the center field wall. And the familiar refrain of L.A. Woman is blasting throughout the stadium.

Mantei's 1-0. And a high fly ball, deep to center field! Back goes Finley, going back! Warning track, at the wall! Jumping! Aaaaaaaaaaaaand...IT'S OUTTA HERE! IT'S OUTTA HERE! PRATT HIT IT OVER THE FENCE! FINLEY JUMPED AND HE MISSED IT! THE METS WIN THE BALLGAME!

-Gary Cohen

The scoreboard reads in big, block letters, CONGRATULATIONS NEW YORK METS ON ADVANCING TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES!!! And just above that, we see that in Houston, the Braves have wrapped up their series with the Astros. After taking a 7-0 lead, the Braves are able to hold off a fierce late rally and win the game 7-5.
On ESPN, a closeup of Pratt reveals him to be totally awestruck. He can barely describe his feelings in a brief interview, only stating that he was sitting dead red, that he thought Finley had caught the ball, and "We're going to play the Braves!"
Bobby Valentine puts it more succinctly. "Character. It's all about Character (points to Leiter) This here's a character, with character...(tips his cap) Todd Pratt! Todd Pratt! Mike Piazza will be back, but so will Todd Pratt!"

Replays showed that Finley just about had it. But when he jumped for the ball, it appeared that his glove hit the wall, impeding his jump. Had his glove not hit the wall, he might have come down with it. But his glove hit the wall, and the ball just grazed his glove before he landed, looked down, and slumped against the wall; the picture telling the entire story.
For Pratt, it's sweet. Triumph after so many years toiling in the minors, being out of the game, and barely being noticed as little more than Mike Piazza's backup. For John Franco, it's even sweeter. Already having waited so long just to reach the postseason, he picks up his first postseason victory. For the fans, who had stuck by the team and waited so long, it's vindication. Nobody seems to want to leave. PA announcer Roger Luce (who had taken over for Del Demontreux, who had recently been felled by a stroke) announces triumphantly that "The next Mets Home Game will be Game 3 of the National League Championship Series!"

With that, the bile, and the pent up hatred towards the Dixieland Braves begins to pour out. Coming down the ramps, the mock tomahawk chops, and the chants of "LARRY SUCKS!" begin to echo throughout the stadium.

The Braves seem to be biting their tongues. Interviews on ESPN show them to reveal very little. The Mets will hold nothing back. After the indignities they suffered at the end of the regular season, there's no love lost. That's mainly because there was no love to begin with between these two teams.

It's fucking on.

Final Score
Mets - 4
Diamondbacks - 3
(10 Innings)
Mets win series, 3-1

* * *

Did you like what you read? If so, the entire "20 Days In October" series can be read here.

Here Come The Yankees!

2009-10-07T09:57:00.007-04:00

Lost in the shuffle of last night's scintillating play-in game was this little nugget. I haven't seen anything about it yet today so it may get glossed over, but if you were paying attention, you heard it.

In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Twins had runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out. Nick Punto was at the plate, and battling hard against Fernando Rodney, when he hit a flare to left, which easily held up for the left fielder, Ryan Raburn. However, the TV call was something like this: "LINE DRIVE BASE HIT! CAUGHT OUT THERE!" Raburn not only made an easy catch, but he subsequently threw out the runner trying to score from 3rd base.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Postseason. Where the announcers are handsome and clueless. You've already heard me sound off several times on Joe Buck, but I think Chip Caray is probably the worst announcer on the national stage. Seriously. These guys are only in the position they're in because they are the offspring of legendary announcers who knew what they were doing (and for what it's worth, even Jack Buck and Harry Caray had their limitations). And yet, here they are, painting a paltry word picture for the postseason. Chip Caray, if you recall, is the same announcer who did the 2007 Indians/Yankees ALDS. With two out and nobody on in the bottom of the 8th inning of the 4th game, with the Yankees trailing by 3 runs, someone on the Yankees got a hit. This was punctuated by Chip Caray screaming, "HERE COME THE YANKEES!" Of course, the next hitter made an out and the Yankees were subsequently eliminated that night. But, hey, if one hit is all they need, then "HERE COME THE YANKEES!" indeed.

That said, how about some Division Series matchups.
I'll start with the National league since I don't like any of the teams that are playing and I refuse to root for any of them. Except maybe the Rockies.

Colorado Rockies (92-70) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)
This looks somewhat familiar. But since that matchup 2 years ago, a lot has happened. It seems like a different lifetime. Since then, the Phillies went on to become World Series Champions while the Rockies slogged through a middling 2008. I figured you could forget all about them, but here they are again, two years later, facing the Phillies yet again. Conventional wisdom probably favors the Phillies in this series, but as you all know, I cannot in good conscience pick the Phillies to win anything, especially since they went through the regular season mostly unchallenged and won the NL East by default. It helps when you play the Washington Nationals 44 times in one season, or at least that's what it seemed like. This in spite of a horrendous bullpen that continually submarined them at some bad moments. It's a bunch that can't be trusted, and given the crucible that is Postseason Baseball, it's something that will haunt this team in the end.
My Pick: Rockies in 4. Philly wins one at home but cannot win once the series moves to Colorado. Lidge will blow Game 3.

St. Louis Cardinals (91-71) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67)
I don't like either of these teams and it's almost enough for me to not want to pay any attention to this series. They are both incredibly boring teams that each have one superstar and a solid group of role players. So let them beat each other up and whoever wins, wins. I don't care. However, given that I have to make a pick, I'll say this. The Game 1 matchup is Chris Carpenter for the Cardinals and Wolfie for the Dodgers. That should say it all right there.
My pick: Cardinals in 5.

Boston Red Sox (95-67) vs. Anaheim Angels (97-65)
What's a postseason without a Red Sox/Angels ALDS? I suppose it's the Yankee fan's dream that these two teams beat each other up and the winner is too exhausted to continue on in the ALCS. But they both have their strong points. Oh, who am I kidding. I barely pay attention to the AL. I just know that these two teams are matching up, and the Red Sox usually win when these two teams play, so I'm going to pick them.
My pick: Red Sox in 4.

Minnesota Twins (87-76) vs. New York Yankees (134-28)
Complete and total mismatch. I don't care who's catching for the Yankees, they will flatten the Twins. In fact, I don't think the Twins should even bother showing up. Why subject themselves to the embarrassment? We all know what will happen. CC Sabathia is going to throw a 2-hit shutout in Game 1, Burnett will win game 2 and that'll be that. I predict big things from all the big guys, Jeter, Tex, even A-Rod. They'll show Joe Mauer who the MVP really is. Just remember, Chip Caray deemed it so. HERE COME THE YANKEES!
My pick: Yankees in 2.

So, there we have it. If you can tolerate Baseball at this point, these should be some good series. Otherwise, the Rangers are off to a 2-0 start!

The Feel-Good Finale

2009-10-05T00:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's finale at Citi Field was truly a finale to be welcomed, but not so much for the obvious reason of finally putting to rest what has been a miserable, forgettable season.

More importantly, by winning their final game of the season yesterday, the Mets snapped my 8-game losing streak, and erased a lot of ill will and bad feelings in the process.

It wasn't so much that they won, but it was how they did it. They did it by manufacturing runs and riding the shoulders of Nelson Figueroa, whose first complete game shutout came a little over two months after I witnessed him absorb a beating so bad that I assumed his career as a Major Leaguer was over. That was the 3rd loss in the infamous 8-game losing streak. The streak saw the Mets lose in all sorts of mystifying ways. They lost games they were in until a late screwup. They lost games where they didn't hit. They lost games where they didn't pitch. They lost games where they neither hit nor pitched, nor looked worthy of taking the field. It stretched for over 3 months. I hadn't seen the Mets win a game since a sunny Thursday afternoon in June. But Sunday, they won. And by winning, the Mets most importantly ensured that I wouldn't have to carry around that losing streak all winter, until Opening Day 2010 on April 5th. There's not much to feel good about as we embark on the offseason, but if nothing else, I won't have to carry that around with me on top of it all.

I was in Section 516 yesterday afternoon, one of those rare games where I wasn't up on my perch in 518, to see the redemption of Nelson Figueroa finally complete its course. Yes, on August 3rd, he was TERRIBLE!!! But since then, he'd been better. The past couple of outings, he was respectable. And on Sunday, he was brilliant, even if the Astros team he blanked looked like they just wanted to get the hell out of there. But who cares about that. The day belonged to Figueroa, who wrote a happy ending to a magnificent Citi Field Finale, and on the 10th anniversary of another notable Mets pitching performance in a much higher-stakes situation.

Citi Field wasn't full by any stretch, but there were certainly more people there than I had expected to see. A crowd announced at 38,135 was probably more in the 15-20,000 range, enough people that the Shake Shack line was once again too long to attempt. My final Citi Field meal for '09 came from Blue Smoke, and perhaps it was the winning combination of the Pulled Pork Sandwich and Fries that helped to end my streak. However, superstitious as I may be, I don't know if this is going to be the meal that I continually get every time I go to Citi Field from here on out. Up in Section 516, I was sitting amongst some familiar faces, the group of gentlemen who used to inhabit UR1 at Shea, led by the guy who does his ubiquitous strikeout chant and kept everyone within earshot updated on the happenings of the more important games of the day. A friend was texting me updates from the day's NFL games. Everything was going well, and the game was moving along at a nice, brisk pace. The weather was fabulous, the crowd was into it, nobody booed anyone (other than Kaz Matsui), and in a season that seemed to be full of misery and frowns, on this afternoon, everyone appeared to leave with a smile on their face. And if that's what we can take into the offseason, well, that's good enough, I suppose.

Coming up:
2009 Mets Report Card
Divison Series Predictions
A Nod to things that happened 10 years ago

Just Make It Quick

2009-10-04T10:17:00.003-04:00

It's my long-standing tradition to go to the last game of the season, whether the Mets were playing for their lives, or well off the pace. The last two years, well, we all know what happened. To say I was tense that morning is an understatement. Of course, things didn't end well.

Today, there's no tension. The only "tension" is my hope that the trains are running ok. I've gotten a bit of criticism from some friends and colleagues as to why I'd want to spend what is supposed to be a nice Sunday afternoon watching the Mets parade out there in a stupor one final, miserable time with about 30 other people. But I did have a discussion with a colleague on Friday afternoon, who was going to the game on Friday evening, and he pretty much summed up my feelings.

For the past 23 seasons, I have been going to baseball games. It's something I particularly enjoy doing. There have been years where the Mets have been just as bad as they were this year, and maybe even worse sometimes. But, still, I go. I make it to my 15-20 games a season, diligently. It doesn't matter how bad they are. It doesn't matter how many people laugh at me. It doesn't matter how empty the stadium is or even if it rains. Going to Mets games has been one of the things in life that I enjoy most, and I consider myself fortunate to be able to go to as many games as I do. I treat Opening Day with a great deal of anticipation, but I treat the Home Opener, should it not also be opening day, in such a way that I could probably run out to the stadium. And, on this day, the last day of the season, there's some degree of sadness. Not because the season is ending, lord knows that's not the case this year. But because this is the last time this year that I'll be getting on that 7 train and riding out to Citi Field. The next time I go there, it'll be April 5, 2010, assuming all goes well, and a new season and a new start. And hopefully a better result. So, today is the last time I'll make this voyage for 6 months. Not a long period of time, but long enough that I want to get out there one final time before the calendar turns.

I just hope it's a quick game.

The Insanity of it All

2009-10-03T01:46:00.001-04:00

I figured it out. The Mets need to FIRE WILLIE!

AGAIN!!!

(Yes, it's all just thrown me over the edge)

Seriously?

2009-09-30T10:28:00.002-04:00

Playing out the string like this wouldn't be so bad except that since it's the 2009 Mets playing out the string, every loss has to be as excruciating as possible.

You can't even feel good with the Mets ahead 3-0, because you know that there's about a bazillion ways that they can blow the lead and the Nationals can come back to win the game. And that's exactly what happened. I watched the first few innings on TV, got tired, turned it off and then turned it on the radio. While I was busily dodging what have become some overly irritating radio commercials (Someone needs to shoot the Ad Director for the New York Lottery), I sort of lost track of the game. I heard something involving a Home Run, and I want to say it was by Ian Desmond, assuming that there's a guy on the Nationals named Ian Desmond, but I never quite bothered to pay attention to the score. Finally, I tuned in in an un-named late inning to hear Jeff Francoeur walk to load the bases. Then there was a double play, which is what the Mets do best when the bases are loaded. I knew, then, that it was the middle of the 8th. But, again, I hadn't bothered to pay attention to the score. Until the Bottom of the 8th, when the Mets did what the Mets do best in the field in a late close game, which is make errors and piss away the game.

I thought at some point that 70 wins would be a possibility for this team, but you know what? I'm really not so sure they can get there. I'm not even convinced 68 wins is possible for this team.

Get it Over With

2009-09-29T10:05:00.003-04:00

The Mets last night reached that ignominious 90-loss plateau with yet another September Loss in Washington where they managed to get decent pitching, but didn't hit.

Unlike in previous years, this loss didn't cause mass panic or me to start screaming and ranting and tearing my hair out.

Greg from Faith and Fear brought this up yesterday, but even before reading his column, it wasn't lost on me that yesterday was the anniversary of the Last Game at Shea. One year later and I still consider it to be one of the most depressing days of my life, between the game and the finality of it all, knowing that the Stadium I'd spent 22 years worth of my Mets fan life in was no more. But Citi Field, it's OK. It can stay. The team, on the other hand, needs some work.

A comment on Greg's post sort of summed up my feelings rather well. Mets fans don't like this team, and right now, this team is the only memory we have in Citi Field, and so as an extension, Mets fans tend not to like Citi Field. Had most of the team stayed healthy, and the Mets remained in contention, and this season was playing itself out like the two years prior, well, not only would we be all having one more mass coronary, but we'd also be enjoying Citi Field. The place would be full and rocking at every game this weekend, just like it would have been at every game this month. It would have been the same horrendous, piercing, dramatic feeling that we'd gone through in the playoffs in '06, and down the stretch again in '07 and '08. Every game would feel like life or death. There would be plenty of tangible things to write about. And, though I went off on one particular rant last season where I said that it wasn't fun to watch the Mets, it would be fun. This year has made me realize that. I'd rather sit through 2008, a season that I called the longest ever, one that was maddening and miserable and at times no fun to watch, a dozen times than have to be subjected to this team, that looks pale and tired and uninspired and was finished by the end of June.

I don't think "Why?" even needs to be asked.

The Mets MVP for 2009

2009-09-25T11:33:00.005-04:00

The Ballclub would like to announce its 2009 Mets Most Valuable Player. I am stealing this from a survey I read on I believe metsblog.com (and I apologize if I'm wrong and it's from another site), but the choice was without much debate. The Ballclub's 2009 MVP is none other than Danny Meyer, the man who brought Shake Shack, Blue Smoke and the scintillating El Verano Taqueria to Citi Field. Despite the fact that the team on the field often made me want to regurgitate what he'd fed me, Mr. Meyer made sure that the food was always of high-quality and substance. Congratulations, Mr. Meyer, on a job well done!

So Long, 518!

2009-09-24T09:04:00.002-04:00

Tuesday night was the final game on the 15-game plan I purchased before the season, and, most likely, the final game in which I'd be occupying Section 518, Row 17, Seats 3 and 4, unless by some fluke I go to a random game and purchase those seats, or if the Mets decide to jerk me around and offer me the exact same seats next year. I'd prefer to sit a little lower down, thanks.

I managed to get to 14 of the 15 games on the plan, which is about what I'd figured, even the two day games. The Mets posted a 4-10 record in those 14 games, which, combined with the loss against the Yankees in June (the only non-plan game I've attended so far this season), leaves me with a sterling 4-11 record for 2009, which includes a personal losing streak that has now stretched to 8 games, has been by far and away the worst season's worth of games I've sat through, and based on the last game on Tuesday, shows no real end in sight.

The game isn't worth talking about, since the 2009 Mets really aren't worth talking about anymore. The best you could say is that at least El Guapo and I weren't totally convinced that Nelson Figueroa's career was over after he left the mound. Surprisingly, he wasn't TERRIBLE!!! He acquitted himself quite well. His team just didn't hit. What a shock.

Citi Field was a bit more full than I would have expected on Tuesday. It was full enough that the line at Shake Shack was actually a line you'd have to wait on for a few minutes. El Guapo and I opted for Blue Smoke this time, where my recent experience with the Chipotle Chicken Wings left something to be desired. But I'm always willing to try something else, so this time I opted for the Pulled Pork Sandwich. This, much like the tacos from El Verano, was probably the highlight of the evening. This sandwich was so good that now I'm torn between whether or not to get this or tacos next season. What to do!? El Guapo agreed, though he'd had the pulled pork earlier in the season and said it was better that time. I guess all things are better earlier in the season, even the team.

Most of the regulars I'd come to know in section 518 during the season weren't there on Tuesday. I can't say I blame them. One gentleman, who usually came with his son, was usually driving in from somewhere on Long Island, and usually left early to beat traffic. Although, given the amount of people at these games of late, there's not too much traffic to beat. There was a group of rather obnoxious, fratty-looking folks at the other end of my row, each of them wearing T-shirts that read "I saw 25 losses at Citi Field and all I got was this lousy T-shirt,' and on the back, "SUCKER 09." They were cheering for the Mets, but it seemed to be in a mocking fashion, or at least that's what I took it to be. That sort of summed up the season. Sometime around the 4th inning, interspersed with the batters being announced in Spanish, Alex Anthony made a very brief statement thanking all the Weekday Plan holders for their support. Scant consolation, I have to say. A plan that I'd figured would hold a decent amount of promise, and guarantee my admission to some exciting late-season games didn't quite materialize that way, and, thusly, ended with a whimper, a 3-1 loss that was about as unexciting and uncompetitive as the 7 losses I'd seen prior to it.

I do have one more game to attend this season, the last game on October 4th. At least I know that my last game this season won't be quite as tense and cathartic as the last game of the season last year or two years ago. Or even three years ago. In fact, it might be so lethargic, I might fall asleep. Much like it appears the team has done. I talked with El Guapo briefly about tickets for 2010, and if I'd get the same plan. Amazingly, after all this, I guess I probably will. I suppose I have some amount of leverage to demand better seats, or, at least seats a little lower down and more centered, but as I said to him, the intrinsic enjoyment I get out of simply being at a Baseball game will always far outweigh the misery I endure having to watch such a lousy team.

I guess that's the only way you can look at it.

Sad Sack

2009-09-22T10:28:00.002-04:00

The Braves did last night what they should have done tonight when I'll be one of the 60 or so people in attendance at Citi Field and score 4 runs in the 1st inning. It's happened at just about every other game I've been to this season. Hopefully I haven't incited Larry and his band of lesser men to do just that. But then, the Braves got cute and decided to score 4 more runs in the 2nd and then 3 more in the 3rd, making the game unwatchable from about the second I turned it on. After about 10 minutes, Ron and Keith were talking about Beer and Pretzels and how it's illegal in North Dakota to serve pretzels with beer (Ron, the Yale grad, knew why). That might have been more interesting than the game at that point, so I turned to the radio, where Howie and Wayne were talking about it being the 8th anniversary of a much more Proud and Inspirational night in Mets History.

Either way, I wasn't there, which I suppose was good. But, again, tonight I'll be there, for what will be the 15th and final game on the Weekday Plan. Time to say goodbye to my seats in 518 and goodbye to the fans that have sat with me at most of these games. Hopefully, the Mets will acknowledge this by not making total asses of themselves as they have in 10 of the 14 prior games I've been to this season.

Better Team

2009-09-21T10:19:00.002-04:00

The Mets are done for 2009, and like most Mets fans, I've sort of turned my interest, at least on Sundays, to the NFL, where my team, the San Francisco 49ers, have been playing, well, like the Anti-Mets.

(Those of you new readers wondering why the hell a native New Yorker became a San Francisco 49ers fan can read here for an explanation)

Yesterday, the 49ers ran their record to 2-0 by running over their division rival Seahawks, quite literally. It was Frank Gore who stole the show after a lackluster performance Week 1 (a 20-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals and Jesus himself, won primarily on the merits of the defense), breaking off Touchdown runs of 79 and 80 yards and finishing with a grand total of 207 rushing yards on the day. The Defense, for the 2nd straight week, posted a solid performance in the victory.

Unlike the Mets, the 49ers have not been expected to make much of a fuss in the NFC West this season. But the NFL is really weird and strange things have happened. The 49ers have clearly shown that they have enough talent to make some waves this season, and shouldn't be taken lightly. There's always a team, every season in the NFL that sneaks up on you. I don't think they're a Super Bowl team, and hell, they may not even be a playoff team this season. But they'll create some havoc this season. You can count on that.

The Good Ol' Days

2009-09-18T19:01:00.002-04:00

Step into the Wayback Machine, my friends, to a happier time and place in Mets History, just three short years ago tonight. El Guapo and I were there, in UR1 for the festivities on a magical night, never to be forgotten, no matter how bad things get.

This Zapruder-like video is how things looked from where I was sitting on that night, September 18th, 2006. Josh Willingham hit it, Cliff Floyd caught it, and a stamp of validation was placed on a memorable season that will last forever.

Kid's Not Allright

2009-09-17T10:22:00.003-04:00

There are articles popping up all over the place saying it, and a few of them probably state the case far better than I ever could. But in a September where trashing the Mets has been in vogue, I think the player that's becoming most trashed right now is Daniel Murphy. Whatever it is, however he was hyped to us before the season and whatever our expectations for him were, he just doesn't have it.

That's not to say that he'll never have it. Who knows. He's only 23 and players can develop over time. But he hasn't displayed anything close to the polish he showed when he first came up. His quick start quickly faded into a series of mediocre at-bats that produced mostly outs, or the occasional single. The power never showed up. He was dropped from the #2 hole in the order. He couldn't field his position, and was moved to 1st Base, where he's proven himself at best, adequate. His Batting Average appeared to be stuck at .248 for about 3 months. Only when the season had already spiraled out of control did he appear to find himself, somewhat, at the plate, raising his average to a barely respectable .260. This wasn't the same hitter we saw late last season, who was taking pitches, working counts and driving the ball the other way with some authority. This is a guy who, at best, is a bench player pushed into an everyday role. He's had his good games, and he's certainly had his moments, but for the most part, you're going to get a guy who at his absolute best is going to hit about .260 with a smattering of 2Bs and HRs, and in this offensively-challenged Mets lineup, that's just not going to cut it from a 1st Baseman, or a Left Fielder, which is a position that I'm quite sure he's not going to play again.

I'm not trying to dump on Murphy, and I'm sure nobody is. We all like him and want him to do well. But to this point in the season, he's fallen woefully short of his expectations, and it's all come to a head after last night's game (a mirror image of another train wreck moment the Mets have had this season) when Murphy's continued defensive failures just threw everyone over the collective edge.

Can you imagine how people would be reacting if last night's game meant something?

Idiots, Idiots, Idiots

2009-09-16T10:17:00.003-04:00

Though we're all by now aware that the Mets were eliminated from any chance of postseason contention on Sunday night (not that there was much of a chance anyway, but when you're alive, there's always some faint degree of hope), the Mets still had to go out and play their 18 remaining games on the schedule. 18, being 1 more than that 17-game crucible that has submarined their past two seasons to the point where I referred to it not simply as a game, but "Idiot Time," last year. Unfortunately, Idiot Time seems to have spread over the entire season this year, so now, the real Idiot time is sort of like a coronation of Idiocy.

It started with a bang last night in a game where, by all rights, the Mets should have been no-hit by Tommy Hanson. If there was any justice for him (and don't think this is me somehow actually sticking up for a Braves player, it's more a comment on the state of the Mets), those 2 hits from Murphy would have been errors or he just wouldn't have gotten them, and the other 2 Met hits, however they came about, would have been errors or walks or whatever as well. It happened once earlier this season, when AJ Burnett took a No-Hitter into the 5th inning, that part of me started to root for the Mets to get no-hit. Again, it's not because I want to see this guy throw a no-hitter, or because I'm all of a sudden against the Mets, it's because this is what the Mets deserve. The more embarrassing this gets, the more likely it becomes that the major changes that need to happen will happen.

In the words of Jerry Manuel, "A-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"

The Shot Heard by No One

2009-09-12T22:36:00.002-04:00

Had this been a meaningful game, I probably would have torn away from my obligations on the hideous rock we know as Staten Island and found my way to a TV at 4pm once the game began.

Had this been a meaningful game, I might have sat down immediately after the game's conclusion and written about how this was the kind of game that embodied the spirit of the Mets, and what a great, championship-quality win it was, and lauded David Wright for his heroics.

Unfortunately, things haven't worked out that way for the Mets, who we'd figured would have been right there with the Phillies throughout the season, making this weekend's series one of those breathless affairs that I would have spent an entire weekend writing about (such as I did last season). Instead, the Phillies have spent most of the season manhandling the Mets to the tune of a 5-9 record to this point of the season, with the common theme being the Phillies basically exerting their will on a depleted Mets team by game's end.

Essentially, the current standing of both teams at the current time makes it somewhat difficult for me to get too high and mighty about the way this afternoon's game turned out.

But there are a few things for us Mets fans to hang our hats on:

It's always nice to kick the Phillies in the nuts, especially after they seem to be the ones who usually do it to us this time of the season. It's really their time of the year, September. We're usually fading into oblivion, or, in the case of this season, already there. But perhaps the shoe is now on the other foot. It's now the Big, Bad Phillies who are the Alpha Dog, and the Mets who are the Laughable Losers just trying to make some noise.

For the Phillies, well, now you know how it feels to have a bullshit bullpen that you can't rely on. This is one of those things that can snowball. Think about how the Mets played out last September. The Bullpen was pressing because of the pressure of the situation. The offense was pressing because they felt like they had to somehow constantly score enough runs to offset the deficient Bullpen. And it began to repeat itself constantly, one end or the other. Sometimes both. The end result wasn't pretty. Of course, this is all hearsay, and the 2009 Phillies aren't the 2008 Mets. They've had their crucible and proved themselves worthy, far beyond anything the Mets have accomplished. And they're really rolling unchallenged towards another playoff appearance. But, still, you can't help but feel just a little bit nervous about the way the Bullpen has performed, to the tune of 16 blown saves by 2 separate closers this season, and to the tune of blowing a 5-run lead against a team that never scores any runs.

In a completely lost season for the Mets, it's good to see that David Wright, who has performed, at best, uneven this season, come through with a pair of HRs in the 8th and 9th innings, innings which he's had a hard time with over the past year or two. And these weren't meaningless HRs, these were runs that counted, to draw the Mets close and then put them over the top.

I didn't get home until close to 6:30pm today and I didn't put the game on until about 7. I'd actually forgotten it was on. But I chimed in just in time to see Tatis reach on a single that snuck past Ryan Howard. Wright's second HR came on the next pitch. And, I have to say, for the first time in weeks, I exulted while watching the Mets. I took some smug satisfaction in making all those Maroon-faced dopes shut up. The Mets could go out and lose both games of tomorrow's Game and Game, and it wouldn't matter. Today's game has to be one of the more gratifying moments in a mostly miserable season.

Unseen

2009-09-10T10:51:00.003-04:00

The announced attendance for last night's game was 37,312, which I can immediately tell you is total bullshit because having sat through last night's game, I'm pretty sure there were about 9-10,000 people in the ballpark, tops. Absolute tops.

What we witnessed fortunately went by moderately quick.

Even the lure of Free Hot Dogs wasn't bringing people out on this night. Nope. I went with a colleague of mine (not the infamously insane screaming colleague, a different colleague) and he was absolutely dumbfounded when we got to our seats, looked around, and saw that nobody was there. There were so few people at this game that even the line at Shake Shack was manageable. After much internal debate, I did decide to go to El Verano Taqueria for my pregame meal, and for the first time, I felt somewhat let down. The food was just fine, however the taco shells appeared to be somewhat stale. Not so that it ruined the experience, mind you, but enough to notice. I suppose we can only hope that the quality of the food is not going to begin to mimic the quality of the team. I still have 2 games left to go to this season.

The game was a blur. Much like most of the games I've attended this season. I seem to have an "Every other year" thing, where one year, every game I go to is great and the Mets win a lot, and then the next year, everything sucks. It's been like that for about 6 years now, and this year is, quite obviously, a down year. I've been to 14 games and the Mets are 4-10, including 7 losses in a row. This is unfathomable to me. I've had bad seasons (7-11 in 2005, 8-11 in 2007), but none have matched this year as far as abject suckitude. It seems like every game, the Mets are down 2-0 or 4-0 before they even come to bat, and usually it gets to about 6-0 before the Mets are cognisant that there's a game going on and maybe they should think about playing. Of course, that's what happened last night. Dan Uggla, who, like most of the Marlins I'm just totally sick of, beat out a bad throw from Wright on what could have been an inning ending DP in the first, instead of a scoreless inning, a run is in and we continue, and, as if on cue, Cody Ross hit a 3-run HR, and that was the game right there. Everyone wants to blame the Stadium, it seems, but it's not the stadium. It's the team. When you look defeated, you will be defeated, over and over again.

Then, there was the Hot Dogs. I should start by mentioning that, for the first time, I went to a game at Citi Field and there were concession stands in the Promenade Level that were closed. It was like those Halcyon Days back at Shea when the stands way out in the Upper Deck were almost always closed. But I digress. Given that the vendors at best could have expected 20,000 people at the game last night (no way in hell were 40,000 going to show up for a dopey free Hot Dog) and probably got about half that, why, then, when I went down to a concession stand in the 7th inning, was I told that I would have to wait 10 minutes for a Hot Dog? And there wasn't particularly a large amount of people around waiting for one. Fortunately, I went to another concession stand that had plenty of Hot Dogs. Only this team could hold a Free Hot Dog promotion, get a tiny crowd, and still only be marginally prepared for it. Hell, I would have just kept the coupon for the Free Hot Dog and used it at the next game had it not said "ONLY VALID SEPTEMBER 9."

I shouldn't complain, really. That Free Hot Dog was probably the high point of the game.

Great Idea!

2009-09-09T10:18:00.002-04:00

I've been hearing Howie Rose talk about it on the radio ever since last weekend, but the Mets have been running all sorts of goofy promotions to try to drum up some kind of interest as the Mets play out the string. There have apparently been seat upgrades, and giveaways and players signing autographs, but the crowds have remained sparse (though, since most of the tickets were already sold, they're not announced as sparse, but that's a different story).

Last night, the folks at SNY had the brilliant idea to do a "Silent Sixth Inning," which I didn't watch, but I heard people making fun of on WFAN afterwards. I suppose they can do whatever the hell they want to try to generate some interest. Whether they were in the race or not, I would have been listening on the radio, where they know better than to do a "silent" anything.

But tonight, the Mets have it right. Tonight is Free Hot Dog night at Citi Field. It's not unlimited, unfortunately, but everyone coming in will get a coupon for a Free Hot Dog. Now, we're talking! And, how fortuitous that this should fall on the day of a game I happen to have tickets for. This should come in handy after I've had my tacos before the game (assuming I have tacos before the game), and I get that little strike of hunger around the 7th or 8th inning.

Tabloid Junk(ie)

2009-09-08T10:20:00.003-04:00

Friday, I wrote a bit about all the press that has recently come out killing the Mets for the way this season has played out. Much of it was truthful. Almost all of it was justified. The Mets organization shouldn't necessarily be killed for their poor injury luck, but they can be killed for not having a proper contingency plan, and they certainly can be killed for continuing to feed into the "Win Now and Sacrifice the Future" philosophy of their General Manager.

Then, I heard the stories creeping out about how Citi Field was falling apart. Apparently, all this noise has been coming from my favorite paper of them all, the New York Post. It's no secret that I feel the Post thinks way too highly of themselves, and also seems all too happy to take a dig at the Mets whenever possible (Perhaps because the Post's #1 rival, the Daily News, is in bed with the Mets). But it seems like the Post is almost going out of their way now to turn that knife and needle the Mets, and their fans, some more. It's taken what had been a series of valid arguments about the team and basically making it complete overkill.

It started with this article on Sunday about how Citi Field has leaks and mold. As with any new building, these things happen. Someone mentioned it on WFAN and the host basically poo-poohed it, saying, "All right, can't we just leave the Mets alone?" He's right. The Mets and their fans have suffered enough indignities this year. Never mind the fact that the article is mildly misinformed, since public funds weren't put directly towards the Stadium, they were put towards infrastructure. Basically, the public funds went towards renovating the Subway and LIRR stations. It's a bit more cut and dry than, say, the deal the Yankees got for their stadium, something that has been swept under the rug and forgotten.

But the Post can't keep their mouths shut. That same day, a piece from Mike Vaccaro appeared, echoing the first story. It's a complete puff piece, no doubt, attempting to squash every issue plaguing the Mets into 4 paragraphs. Here's the link. I assure you it's not worth reading.

Yesterday, there was even more Met-bashing. This time, they've taken to the streets and tried to get some fan reaction. I wonder how hard they had to search to get these quotes. You know, assuming these quotes came from real people.

But with the story losing juice, mainly because most people just don't seem to care about it all that much, or because as with any new facility, there will be some problems at first, and it's not as though these issues aren't easily fixable with a call to a good plumber, the Post had to find another issue to pick on. So, today, it's back to the problematic medical staff.

But it's not all bad. At least Carlos Beltran is coming back. Even though he should be sitting out to preserve the final two seasons on that posh $117 million contract...