Jerry Manuel said today he hopes the Mets can get on a run and sneak back into contention. He really doesn’t have much more than hope because the Mets are becoming more and more irrelevant for this season.
Game #120 at Astros
They started sputtering before the All-Star break, but were within serious striking distance when Carlos Beltran was activated at the break.
They’ve been 11-20 since to deepen their hole by seven games to 11 behind Atlanta.
I posted a few things to look forward to down the stretch, but another one is the fallout from the Francisco Rodriguez incident.
The Major League Baseball Players Association, not surprisingly, has already filed a grievance against the Mets on behalf of Rodriguez for placing him on the disqualified list and attempt to convert his contract to a non-guaranteed deal.
Remember, the union’s concern isn’t about right or wrong – as evidenced by its head-in-the-sand stance on steroids – but simply getting every last nickel for the players.
Hi John –
It’s amazing how quickly the Mets moved on this – and how fast the Players Association is filing grievances.
Annie (1): The Mets took a proactive stance, which was the right thing to do. The union, as expected, responded immediately. They probably had their grievance written before the arraignment.-JD
FIRST INNING: Pagan cooling a bit. Would like to see how he finishes up.-JD
John (2) Apparently the Mets have very good legal advice.
Annie (4): We’ll see how good they are when it goes to arbitration.-JD
John (5) Where does all this happen?
BOTTOM FIRST INNING: Sweet play by Tejada on the DP. We know he can field. The questions about him are with his bat. I’d like to see him get most of the playing time down the stretch. No need to see Castillo anymore.-JD
Annie (6): Don’t know the dates. To be determined. They’ll try for a settlement first.-JD
FYI –
This afternoon, Jerry Manuel had his weekly meeting on WFAN with Joe Benigno because Mike is on vacation.
During a conversation, his cell phone ‘rang’ with Martin Luther King’s voice reciting his “I Have A Dream Speech”.
Interesting….
Annie (9): That interview was telling in that it revealed an indecisive and uninformed manager. He did not present himself well and even though he knew what would be asked, he came across as unprepared. Sad really. If he was like that in the job interview it is a wonder that he was hired.-JD
John (10) Oh, I’m glad you heard it too. Actually Mike is usually very conversational with Jerry, but Joe = and Evan – asked some real questions.
Where did Jerry work before he came to the Mets?
Annie (12): He managed the White Sox.-JD
And they got Ozzie Guillen after he left? What a difference…
Teams usually follow a low key manager with a
high key one, figuring that was one problem.
Dan (15): And the opposite is true. We’ll see a fiery disciplinarian after the regimes of Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel. There seems to be no hope for Manuel saving his job as this team continues to reel.-JD
FOURTH INNING: Would like to see Ike Davis show a little more patience at the plate. This swinging at the first pitch doesn’t make it.-JD
BOTTOM FOURTH INNING: Dickey cruising again. He had a blip a couple of starts ago but has rebounded well. I can’t understand those who think he should have a spot in the rotation next year. Before this season is over, he might very well lead the staff in wins.-JD
While the Mets have been busy doing NOTHING to improve the club, the Braves just landed star first baseman Derek Lee from the Cubs for prospects.
Nothing like looking up at the Braves again, huh?
Gil (19): The Braves want to win. The Mets seem content to be merely competitive, and they aren’t even that.-JD
John (20) I believe that Fred just wanted a team that would be competitive all season. Wonder what he’s thinking these days?
20 And of course all the void K-Rod’s contract crap and then unceremoniously dumping Alex Cora before he could earn more money is ALL one big smoke screen to obscure Omar Minaya’s stupid contracts he gave Oliver Perez, Jason Bay and Luis Castillo. And of course the moronic Wilpons are in complete support of Minaya!
Gil (22): No matter what happens with K-Rod’s contract, it won’t make us forget the deals you mentioned. The Mets have so much money tied into bad deals for next year it’s almost laughable what they did with Cora.-JD
Gil –
Alex Cora signed with the Texas Rangers this week.
Jason Bay has serious concussion issues – several articles in the Times about his situation recently.
Annie (21): Wilpon once said he wanted his team to play meaningful baseball in September. Too bad the goal is to play deep into October.-JD
Annie (24): I knew Cora would land somewhere. It will be good to see him in the postseason. … Bay, well, I don’t think we’ll see him again this year. No point in it.-JD
John -(25)
I couldn’t remember the exact quote. These past weeks have given me a whole new feeling about the Wilpons – they don’t really know anything running a baseball team, do they?
I think sometimes it runs into November (if you’re lucky)
Well, Fred is going to get his wish – his Mets are going to be making news right through the Holidays. Going to sell a lot of papers and have people talking about the Mets and their Management.
Hope he enjoys it….
Finally the two new guys put the team on the score board.
SEVENTH INNING: Dickey does it all. I like this guy.-JD
We finally got a knuckleballer and he’s good
John – Do we know which players and family members were in the Family Room when all the fighting started?
I think Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Nick Swisher were there with wives and children but I’m not sure.
Annie (32): I don’t know. Swisher plays for the Yankees.-JD
BOTTOM EIGHTH INNING: Dickey in trouble. Glad to see them give him a chance to work out of it.-JD
John (33) Sorry, my mistake – I’ll look it up
It was Jeff Francoeur’s wife.
NINTH INNING: Glad to see they are going to give Dickey a chance to finish it.-JD
BOTTOM NINTH INNING: Takahashi warming in the pen. Dickey will have a short leash.-JD
You knew that was gone. Now Dickey is gone.-JD
John (39) I’m usually glad that I can’t see those home runs that mess up the game. It’s bad enough having Eddie tell me about it on the radio.
Annie (40): Blum really mauled that one. A no-doubter.-JD
I can’t fault Manuel. In situations like this all year I’ve wanted him to stay with the starter. He did and it didn’t work this time.-JD
John (41) Eddie told me how upset Dickey is now in the dugout.
You have to feel sorry for this team now – they’ve been through a lot in the past week – right in their own clubhouse.
I’m learning more than I even knew existed about the Business of Baseball – thanks to you.
TENTH INNING: Want to see Reyes take off now. Don’t waste the out here with the bunt.-JD
Annie (43): Thank you. Dickey looks very despondent in the dugout. Like somebody stole his dog.-JD
Beautiful punt by Pagan. He couldn’t have rolled it there better.-JD
John – You’re welcome.
Put yourself in his place, you’d be despondent too.
Annie (47): I can understand it.-JD
You have to walk Beltran now. I don’t agree with this.-JD
Davis is ice cold these days. He has to show some patience.-JD
some good things this inning..beat out a bunt, double steal but if the Mets can’t get a run………..
Davis is just a kid – 22, 23 yrs old. His first Major League team and it’s dissolving around him. Cut him some slack.
Dan (51): They are hitting .208 with the bases loaded. Odds aren’t good.-JD
Annie (52): Sorry no. He’s in the major leagues. He has to be more patient at the plate. He might have grounded out on ball three. At least hit the ball in the air. Davis will be the first one to tell you that.-JD
John – I have learned this week that Eddie Coleman is a really good Play by Play radio announcer and of course he’s lived with the Mets for years.
He and Wayne are working very well together while Howie is away.
And they can’t.. Can the Mets just Franceour and Castillo a rolodex with the phone numbers of all 29 GMs and say “We’ll take you up on your offer. Make a deal for yourself and if it is marginally good, like the other team will pay half your salary, you’ll be on a flight out of LaGuardia. We’ll even throw in cab fare”.
I should have yelped about this earlier but why wasn’t F Mart playing? I think he’s played in 6 of 10 games since he has been up. Has he learned how to hit sitting down? I don’t know if he’s the future but I know Franceour isn’t.
Dan (56): Manuel said today the Mets were still in the race and Francoeur gave them the best chance to win. Can’t imagine what team he thinks he’s watching.-JD
Will the Colt 45s be contending before the Mets. Ownership finally seems to realize they need to rebuild. Whether you want Ed Wade trading with Philly is debatable but they finally recognized they couldn’t stay on the same path.
Francoeur is gone after this year. No future with the Mets.-JD
Dan (58): The Mets’ window shut in 2008. They won’t be competitive again until 2012. Next year should be a lot like this as the Mets are saddled with several choking contracts that will prohibit them from spending this winter.-JD
Back to F-Mart for a moment. I don’t know if he’s the future or not, but we won’t find out with him on the bench.-JD
John (57) After this afternoon, I’m not sure what goes on in Manuel’s head.
TWELTH INNING: Wright leaves the game with apparent injury.-JD
John (63) Something about his foot, according to Eddie -
Annie (64): Wright took himself out right away. He knew he couldn’t stay in. Wonder how serious it is. We’ll know soon enough.-JD
BOTTOM TWELTH INNING: Parnell is really dealing. Fastball in triple digits.-JD
John (65) Who is playing third?
Annie (67): Mike Hessman.-JD
John (68)Oh yes, the utility infielder, he was at first the other day.
John – I’m having a ball just listening to these two guys in the booth – they sound like fraternity brothers having a great time at the ball park.
Who is on SNY?
Annie (70): Gary and Keith.-JD
Keith must be getting antsy he hates to stay for extra innings -and Gary has never liked being on TV.
In ten minutes it will be Ron’s 50th birthday – he’s already started on his next book – untitled as of now.
John – another question. Did Seaver ever write a book about his life in baseball? I’ve tried to find one, but can’t. I’d like to write about him, but I need some information. His Baseball Reference page is rife with stats, but no real background information about his life as a pitcher.
FOURTEENTH INNING: I would have preferred Reyes steal and have Pagan bunt him to third.-JD
Davis gets a second chance to come through.-JD
Eddie and Wayne are saying lovely things about what a good kid he is.
Maybe they know his Dad – a Yankee during the Gossage years.
What do you know, a sacrifice fly. He comes through in the clutch.-JD
He gets the run back – think that will be the end of this game?
I don’t think Seaver ever wrote a full fledged autobiography. Apparently he wrote one in 1970 on the 1969 season called “The Perfect Game” and one in 1994 on pitching itself “The Art of Pitching” Kind of strange he hasn’t..you’d think it would be a natural for him.
They need another run. I don’t trust Acosta.-JD
Dan (80) Thanks for looking up the Seaver works – I’m familiar with the Perfect Game, but not the Art of Pitching.
Astros help out by ending this game quickly. Another win in the glorious year of 2010.
A QUICK WRAP/Game #120
FINAL: Mets 3, Astros 2 (14 innings).
RECORD: 60-60.
THUMBNAIL ANALYSIS: R.A. Dickey pitched brilliantly but came away with a no-decision as he gave up a game-tying homer in the ninth. The Mets scored the game-winner on Ike Davis’ sacrifice fly.
ON THE MOUND: Dickey gave up two runs in 8 1/3 innings. … Hisanori Takahashi and Bobby Parnell were superb in relief. … Manny Acosta threw five pitches to get the save.
AT THE PLATE: Dickey and Angel Pagan drove in runs. … Ruben Tejada got a hit. … Jose Reyes had four hits.
IN THE FIELD: Mike Hessman replaced David Wright, who left the game with an injury in the 12th inning.
LOOKING AHEAD: Pat Misch goes tomorrow night.- JD
Eddie and Wayne have put this game “In The Book”, so that Howie can see it when he returns this weekend.
It took a while, but the Mets finally got a run in the fourteenth inning. Not surprising with all the turmoil around this team.
R.A. Dickey – a knuckleballer has proved himself to be a real asset to this team – he’s a complete player.
Here is todays’ statement concerning the grievance issues:
The Major League Baseball Player’s Association filed a grievance against the Mets and the Commissioner’s Office on Tuesday to contest the Mets’ placement of Francisco Rodriguez on the Disqualified List.
The Mets announced the decision to place Rodriguez on the list Monday after they determined that he injured his right pitching thumb during his encounter with the grandfather of his children. By placing him on the list, Rodriguez’s contact became a non-guaranteed one.
Rodriguez underwent surgery on his thumb Monday in Manhattan and is expected to miss the rest of the season. No date has been set for the first hearing yet.
The Mets issued the following statement:
“We disagree with the position of the Players Association. We believe our action was justified and appropriate”
The final game in this series is tomorrow night.
See you then -
Dan (83): They’ll be talking about this one for at least a half-hour.-JD
84. injury! no. and this after a stellar performance on the field and at bat.
And hessman gets to play 3rd after all.
amazing. mystery illnesses abound. did you see the injury occur? or was this a scheme to check hessman out at 3rd?
I stopped watching after the 10th inning or so as I knew this was going long and i needed to get some sleep.
it looks like dave got sick.
nothing to worry about.