Tag Archives: All Star

Aug 18

Mets Chat Room; union files grievance.

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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.

Aug 04

Francoeur: Has anything changed?

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The Mets do have a pulse after last night, and it’s that way because of R.A. Dickey and Jeff Francoeur.

FRANCOEUR: Finally delivers

As far as Francoeur is concerned, last night might change his mood and get him going, but I’ve said that before with him. He’s an extremely streaky hitter, but unfortunately for him he’s had too many on the downside this summer. A hot one now could lift the Mets back into contention.

When Carlos Beltran returned, somebody had to sit, but Jerry Manuel force-feeding him into the lineup seems to have backfired. If nothing else, the Mets’ record since the All-Star break should mean something. Manuel had no choice but to cut Francoeur’s time, but his methods weren’t right.

A meeting would have been the proper thing to do. And, to equate his situation to a pitcher going to the bullpen was callous.

Manuel shut the door on Francoeur as a Met, and last night’s heroics aside, it doesn’t change anything. The Mets might be a game closer, but it’s a huge gap. And, Francoeur could go on a tear, but he’s gone after this year.

He wants to play everyday and young enough to do so. It’s too early in his career to assume the role player mentality.

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Aug 02

Mets Chat Room; holding off the Braves

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Technically, the Mets could run the table this week and be back in the race before they return home. There is also enough time left where they could pick up a game a week and be there in the end.

Game #106 at Braves

That’s all possible, but the Mets have given us no indication either scenario will happen. They haven’t played well enough on the road to think such a hot streak is in the cards. They also haven’t played consistently enough to give reason to believe the methodical way would work, either.

The Mets, losers of 12 of 17 games since the All-Star break, have shown no inclination of turning things around. They have Johan Santana (8-5, 3.11) hoping to rebound against a seven-run outing in his last start against St. Louis.

That game came on the heels of a stretch in which he went 3-0 with a 0.58 ERA.

Santana has pitched well in eight starts against the Braves since joining the Mets – a sparkling 1.79 ERA – but is a dismal 2-4 because of a lack of run support, getting two or fewer runs in each game.

The Mets’ struggles started prior to the All-Star break as they have lost 15 of 21 games, including two of three to the Braves at Citi Field. They saved the worse for Sunday when they were pummeled, 14-1, by Arizona (they have lost five of six to the Diamondbacks in the last two weeks).

“It definitely hurts your pride a little bit when you perform in that manner,’’ manager Jerry Manuel said. “We didn’t pitch, we didn’t hit, we didn’t play defense.’’

Aug 02

It’s down to this week ….

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If there is such a thing as flipping a switch for a team, the Mets will have to do it now. After starting their second half collapse by losing 12 of 17 since the All-Star break, they’ll have to turn it around now.

Now!

Out of 162 games, the season will boil down to six games for the Mets. Three in Atlanta starting tonight, then three in Philadelphia over the weekend against the Phillies. For a team that has been horrid all season on the road, they pretty much have to run the table to make any kind of dent.

If they win two of three, they’ll only pick up one game, so what good is that?

Whatever pride this team has left, they’d better find it now if they have any hope of playing meaningful baseball in September.

The confidence level in this team has to be high tonight because of Johan Santana, but overall, considering how they mailed it in yesterday in being mauled by Arizona it’s low. With all that is on the line for the Mets, to come up with such a showing is shameful.

How does a team that says it is a contender only win one of six games against a team like the Diamondbacks? Shameful. It inspires no confidence for this week.

Jul 27

Wishing and hoping ….

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The trade deadline is four days away and the Mets aren’t linked to anybody. Not anybody good enough to turn things around. They have even passed on the opportunity to make a symbolic splash by shaking up their coaching staff. And, of course, they’ve passed on several chances to make what would have been an impact decision by cutting Oliver Perez.

The Mets have done nothing to help their team, and did nothing last offseason to address their biggest need, which is pitching. Instead, the Mets have remained stagnant and they are what they are, which is barely a .500 team.

They are reduced to hoping things will jump start for the same tired cast of mediocre characters. They are hoping players who have shown little ability to sustain over time will sudden do so and perform at an All-Star level. That’s Beltran, Bay, Wright and Reyes – the core four.

They are hoping for the offense to kick it in gear. They are hoping Mike Pelfrey will regain his form from the first two months. They are hoping the bullpen can get outs and they won’t have to use Perez. They are hoping to win with 24 players.

They are hoping what hasn’t worked will suddenly work. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

The Mets are hoping for a miracle … and won’t get one.

Jul 19

Perez coming and other notes.

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* Oliver Perez is en route to Arizona but might not be activated immediately. Jerry Manuel said when Perez returns it would be as a situational lefty with Hisanori Takahashi remaining in the rotation.

The Mets would like to unload Perez’s contract in a trade for a pitcher.  With the asking price for Roy Oswalt and Dan Haren too high for GM Omar Minaya’s liking, the Mets are concentrating on a middle-tier arm such as Ted Lilly, Brett Myers, Ben Sheets or Jake Westbrook.

For some reason, they won’t give Pat Misch a chance. Misch pitched well for them last year and represented Triple-A Buffalo in that league’s All-Star game.

* We are expected to see Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes in the lineup tonight at Arizona. It will be the first time in over a year they’ve been on the field together.

* It is anticipated Luis Castillo will be activated for tonight’s game. Ruben Tejada, who played well in the field, but had his problems at the plate, is expected to be optioned to Triple-A Buffalo where he’ll get regular at-bats.

Jul 08

Mets’ pitching options: Perez first.

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PEREZ: In a happier time.

If you’ve been following the Mets it’s not hard to read the tealeaves as far as which direction they’ll go in adding a starter to their rotation.

I know a lot of you aren’t going to like this, but my guess is their first option will be Oliver Perez.

Perez’s rehab so far has gone well, and with around $20 million still remaining on his contract, I see them spending that money first because finances are a big issue with the team. They aren’t going to eat the contract and Perez’s contract, injury history and erratic performance make him impossible to deal.  Therefore, his real value to the Mets isn’t as a trade commodity but in the hope he’ll find it.

From what I’ve heard, the asking price in terms of prospects is high for Cliff Lee, and regardless of their supposed interest in him over Roy Oswalt, I believe the Mets find it distasteful to offer all that for a rental, and that’s what it will be because they won’t pay what he’ll be asking.

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Jul 07

Mets Chat Room; Niese tries to keep it rolling.

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Game #85 vs. Reds

Jonathan Niese will be pitching tonight to push the Mets to 11 games over .500, which would tie their season high and pull them within a game of Atlanta with the Braves coming in this weekend for three games.

Once four games under .500 and floundering early this season, the Mets are relevant again and could be in first place by the All-Star break.

Niese is more than partly attributable to that relevancy, going 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA in six starts since his June 5 return from the disabled list. The Mets are 10-2 in his last 12 starts, including beating Washington last Friday when he struck out a season-high eight and didn’t issue a walk.

What makes him successful?

“I think if I’m able to throw all my pitches for strikes,’’ Niese said. “I think I have a good variety that keeps them off-balance.’’

Off-balance is what tonight’s Reds starter, Bronson Arroyo, has kept the Mets, going 6-2 in ten career starts against them.