Never Forget 69

What's a Mets Fan To Do?

Lou Di Falco — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

If you thought the 2009 Mets season could not get any worse, guess again. No, thankfully no Mets player hurt himself and no poor trade was made. In fact, what I am referring to has nothing to do with the Mets but it has everything to do with Mets fans.

The only thing that can carry on the pain and suffering for Mets fans this season is what teams will ultimately make it the World Series. I have been rooting for the Dodgers and Angels for two reasons.

First, as I mentioned the other day, I actually feel baseball should be played in decent weather. With an all LA series, that would be assured. The other reason, and the one more pertinent to Mets fans, is the last teams Mets fans want to see in the fall classic is the Phillies and the Yankees. I mean, what does a Mets fan do here?

Personally, I just cannot bring myself to root for the Phillies. They have become everything I thought the Mets would be after 2006. It has been so painful to see the success the Phillies have earned while the Mets continue to step backward. I really do not want Philadelphia to win back to back pennants let alone back to back World Series. The Phillies are poised to be this good for years to come. How do we endure a potential dynasty 90 miles down the Jersey Turnpike? I have to root against them.

But then what, I root for the Yankees? I can’t do that either. I’ve spent a lifetime loathing the Yankees and now they are doing it to us again. Once more, they own New York. Am I delusional to think that ever changed anyway? The Yankees represent everything the Mets are not. The Yankees are fundamentally sound, consistent, and champions. The Mets are pretenders. Look, I can face the truth, but regardless, I can’t root for the Yankees, I just can’t. Is it possible both teams can lose?

Unless the Dodgers and Angels perform a couple of miracles, this is what we are faced with. I can just hear comments from Phillies players now in regards to the Yanks. “Now we will have to play the real good team from New York.”, “This is a New York team that just doesn’t talk.” You know someone in that clubhouse will say something like this, you just do. In complimenting the Yankees, they will be bashing the Mets. The Yankees on the other hand will not say anything about the Mets. They have more class than that.

Although I will not root one way or the other, if it comes down to the Yankees and Phillies, I would prefer the Yankees win. We need to see the Phillies knocked down a peg. Back to back world championships will just be too much to live with. We Mets fans can say nothing if that happens. Actually, there isn’t much we can say anyway. Plus the Yankees have won so many times over the years, what’s the difference if they win one more World Series. I’ve lost count anyway.

Maybe the best thing to do is not even watch. I love baseball but what good can come of it.

Hopefully, Mets management is as embarrassed as Mets fans feel right now. To see their two biggest rivals succeed after such a tremendously disappointing season has got to be killing them. And make no mistake about it. The Yankees are one of the Mets biggest rivasl even though they play in a different league. I hope they realize that.

2009 was an awful baseball year. The fact that the Phillies and the Yankees are poised to meet on the biggest stage of all just about sums it up.

2009: The Year in Review

Lou Di Falco — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400

I completely understand if you don’t want to read this. It was painful to write. But, as I have done since 2006, I felt it was my duty to review 2009, a most forgettable season.

70 wins and 92 losses is not what Mets fans expected back on April 6th, the day the 2009 season began. It is especially disappointing considering the Mets addressed their bullpen woes from a year ago by acquiring both J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez as setup man and closer. After that first game in Cincinnati ended and the Mets behind Johan Santana came away the victor, hope was running high. But when that first road trip ended at 3-3, some doubt became apparent as the Mets returned home to open brand new Citi Field.

It was a three year wait for the new ballpark whose construction began in earnest in late summer of 2006, the last time the Mets made the playoffs. After the hoopla and the ceremonial first pitch was thrown, the first of a series of omens occurred that gave pause.

Mike Pelfrey was on the mound to face San Diego batter Jody Garrut, the first batter in Citi Field history. The left handed hitting Garrut pulled a drive down the right field line for a home run to inaugurate Citi Field. At that moment I began to wonder. Could this be a sign that perhaps this year may not go the way we had hoped.

Later that game, Pelfrey stumbled and fell off the mound in comical fashion. In the end, ex-Met Heath Bell recorded the save for San Diego spoiling the party.

The Mets picked up their first Citi Field victory two nights later but lost the series to the Padres. The Mets split their first home stand and left for the road with a 6-6 record. At the end of April the Mets were an unimpressive 9-12. Mets fans were wondering what was wrong.

One thing that was wrong was Oliver Perez. The Mets resigned Perez to a three year 36 million dollar contract. The lefty showed up to spring training after the WBC out of shape. He struggled through the month of April and was put on the disabled list in early May with tendinitis in his left knee. Also, Tim Redding, who was signed as a free agent, was out since spring training with shoulder tendonitis.

Things were looking up however as the Mets won seven in a row at the beginning of May. Heading to the west coast the Mets found themselves in first place a game ahead of the Phillies. Another omen occurred during the plane ride to San Francisco when Jose Reyes suffered some sort of injury to his calf. He had to be scratched from the lineup the next day. What happened on that plane is still a mystery.

Alex Cora filled in at short as the Mets took the first three of four games against the Giants. The Mets were shut out by Matt Cain in the final game. Jose Reyes missed the entire series.

Another problem was fast becoming apparent. Already out of action, Carlos Delgado went on the disabled list with soreness in his right hip, the same soreness that caused him to miss time in 2008. Alex Cora, the Mets primary infield backup, also went on the DL. He tore a tendon in his right thumb sliding into second during the last game at San Francisco. Injuries were becoming alarming and beginning to mount.

Yet another omen of things to come occurred the next evening in Los Angeles. Reyes would miss his fifth consecutive game and now Delgado and Cora were not available either. But the real story of this game occurred in extra innings when the Mets made another dubious statement.

With the score tied in the 11th inning, Ryan Church scored the go ahead run with two outs. Ah, but it turns out the former Mets right fielder never touched third base. The Dodgers won the appeal and the run did not count. On a throwing error in the bottom of the 11th, the Dodgers won the game 3-2.

Jose Reyes returned to the lineup the next day, the same day that Carlos Delgado had surgery to repair his ailing hip. Delgado’s recovery was set to last ten weeks, but Delgado would not return the rest of the season.

In Reyes’s second at bat, he felt something pull in his right hamstring while running to first. Reyes left the game and like Delgaod, was not seen the rest of the season. Of course at the time, the Mets and their fans did not know the injury was so devastating. Reyes was eventually put on the disabled list and will now, some four months later, undergo surgery to clean out scar tissue that’s been causing him pain.

After the Dodgers swept the series, the Mets were off to Boston for the first inter-league meeting of the season. Based on the injuries to key players and poor play in Los Angeles, most felt the Red Sox would mop the floor with the Mets. Surprisingly, the Mets won the series winning two of three including an incredible game on Saturday evening, the 23rd of May.

With the Mets down to their last strike trailing by one run, Omir Santos hit a ball that appeared to be a two run homer as it hit off the top of the Green Monster. At first, it was called a double. But after a 10 minute review by the umpires, the call was overturned and the Mets took the lead heading into the bottom of the 9th. A spectacular play by Luis Castillo saved the game for the Mets who held on to win. The game was one of the few highlights of the season. The Mets went on to win five of seven ending the month of May.

On May 31st, the Mets were 28-21, one half game behind the Phillies. The Mets finished the month of May with a record of 19-9. Even with Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado out of the lineup, there was still reason to believe the Mets would contend for the division title. After all, it was assumed those players would be coming back.

But the Mets got off to a bad start in June. They traveled to Pittsburgh where the Pirates swept three games of a rain shortened series with Mets injuries continuing to mount. Ryan Church was placed on the DL with a sore right hamstring. Angel Pagan was placed on the DL with a groin pull. Carlos Beltran and John Maine missed time with severe stomach flu. Gary Sheffield was listed day to day with a sore hamstring. But the biggest news was that J.J. Putz needed surgery for bone spurs in his right elbow and would miss two months of the season.

The off season plan had been that J.J. Putz, a successful closer with Seattle, would set up former Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez. The formula worked a number of times but Putz began to be vulnerable giving up big hits in key situations. He had complained of discomfort for a while but the Mets encouraged him to pitch through the pain. Eventually the pain was too much and the surgery became necessary. Unfortunately, like Delgado and Reyes, Putz never returned either.

After the Pirates sweep, the Mets managed a 3-3 record over the next six games before they traveled to the new Yankee Stadium for the first game of the 2009 Subway Series.

Perhaps this was the game that defined the Mets season. The Mets were without two of their core star players. It was becoming obvious that the Mets were starting to struggle.

On a rainy Friday evening, June 12th, the Mets and Yankees played a see-saw affair with the Yankees getting off to an early 1-0 lead. The Mets went ahead 2-1 in the third but in the bottom half the Yankees went ahead 3-2. The Mets scored four in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead but the Yanks scored one in their half and three in the sixth to take a 7-6 lead. With single runs in the 7th and 8th, the Mets took a one run lead into the bottom of the ninth. Francisco Rodriguez had not blown a save all season but got into trouble when Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira reached base. With two on and two out, K-Rod was able to get A-Rod to pop up to second base. But Luis Castillo dropped the popup. Jeter scored the tying run and Mark Teixeira who busted it from first base scored the winning run. It was the most devastating Mets loss in ages. The Mets showed some character the next day and won but it was the only game of the season in which they defeated the Yankees.

Oh, did I mention that John Maine was now on the DL too. He went down with shoulder fatigue. Mets players were dropping like flies. And to add injury to insult, Carlos Beltran was suffering from a sore right knee. It was discovered that he had a severe bruise in the knee and on June 22nd, Beltran was placed on the disabled list. Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado and now Beltran were all out of the Mets lineup. The sole core player left was David Wright while healthy, had been struggling with his power all season long.

Wright’s average was high, at times above .350, but his power numbers had dropped significantly. Were the huge dimensions of Citi Field in his head? If that was true, then they were affecting his abilities on the road as well.

Everything the Mets did right in May they undid in June. The Mets finished the month with a 9-18 record. Certainly the injuries were the cause of the problem but poor fundamental play also contributed. At the end of the month the Mets had dropped to two games below .500, were in third place, but still only three games back.

In early July, the Mets were swept in a three game set at Philadelphia. Afterwards they managed a 3-3 record at Citi Field heading into the All Star Break. At the break the Mets had sunk to fourth place 6.5 games back of Philly with a record of 42-45.

On the injury front, Fernando Martinez who came up and played admirably in place of Church and Beltran was placed on the disabled list in July with inflammation in his knee. Pitcher Fernando Nieve, who pitched marvelously covering for Oliver Perez, tore a muscle in this right thigh running to first base on July 18th and is placed on the 60 day DL. Gary Sheffield was put on the DL as well with that nagging hamstring injury. It seemed the Mets had more players on the DL than on the team.

On a positive note, Omar Minaya made a trade that could turn out to be a good one. He swapped outfielder Ryan Church for Jeff Francoeur from Atlanta. Both outfielders were struggling and Church apparently wore out his welcome mat with manager Jerry Manuel. Francoeur played wonderfully for the Mets while Church played about the same for the Braves.

Back on the field, the Mets played well against Colorado at Citi Field, winning three of four, to end the month of July. However, the Mets would need a remarkable final two months of the season to make a run at the playoffs, a seemingly improbable feat.

It was hoped that Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran would have returned shortly after the All Star break. That did not happen. In fact at the beginning of August, they still were not back and neither was Carlos Delgado. On August 4th, Luis Castillo fell down the dugout stairs at Citi Field and had to leave the game with a sprained ankle. You just could not make this stuff up. With all the injuries and misfortune, some were beginning to wonder if Citi Field had been constructed on consecrated ground perhaps upsetting a few ghosts.

The next day, August 5th, young pitcher Jonathan Neise who showed so much promise, completely tore his hamstring from the bone and collapsed on the mound. He had just stretched at first covering the bag and came up limping. Insisting on taking a warm up pitch, Neise fell to the ground ending his season and heading for surgery.

On the field, the Mets were playing dreadfully. They lost nine of the first twelve games of August. Then on August 15th, the face of the franchise, David Wright, was drilled in the helmet by a Matt Cain fastball. It was the first time in the third baseman’s career he went on the disabled list.

Alex Cora, who played so gallantly with a torn tendon in his right thumb, had to call it quits in the middle of the month because he needed surgery on both thumbs. On August 24th, Jeff Francouer tore a ligament in his thumb but continued to play. The icing on the cake occurred the next day when it was revealed that ace pitcher Johan Santana would need season ending surgery on his pitching elbow to clean out bone chips. Not enough bad news? Oliver Perez also would get surgery on his patella tendon.

Not surprisingly, the Mets finished August 10-19. Carlos Beltran and David Wright finally did return to action but with the pitching staff made up mostly of youngsters and retreads the Mets could just not compete to even be a decent spoiler. They did take two of three against the Marlins in September to at least get some payback from the previous two seasons. The losses for Florida virtually eliminated them from wild card contention. Another positive, though a small one, was the Mets played 1.000 ball in October sweeping the Astros to end the season.

All in all, it was a season to forget completely. Unfortunately there are so many questions going into 2010, it’s hard to have a positive outlook.

On Monday, the day after the season, Jeff Wilpon, Omar Minaya, and David Howard appeared on Mike Francesa’s radio program for an hour and a half. They said all the right things. They did not use injuries as an excuse. But of course the injuries were a big part of what went wrong in 2009. Collectively, Mets players were on the DL for over 1400 days, far more than any other team. Plus, injuries were to key players, not just to backups. The starting rotation envisioned at the beginning of the season was nowhere to be seen at the end. Give Mike Pelfrey credit. At least he was around for most of the year only missing some time in April. Unfortunately, his performance was not what it was a year ago.

The Mets have much to figure out over the off season. They must do something to change the dynamic of the Mets. Fans are fed up. They will not be breaking the gates down to get in next season. Mets fans watched the cross town rivals inaugurate their new ballpark with a championship season. Mets fans want the same. They will be watching closely over the winter.

Fool Me Once...

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:41:26 -0400

I have taken a couple of days to react to the mea culpa from the Mets a couple of days ago. Here goes… Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I have seen this act before. In fact I have seen it far too many times. Years ago I use to look forward to listening to Fred Wilpon with Mike Francesa. Perhaps it was his fatherly ways that made me feel like he really cared. And I do believe he does really care. Fred doesn’t come out much anymore, at least to talk to the media. Now it’s his son Jeff, heir apparent to the throne, who makes the occasional public remarks.

I thought that Jeff Wilpon, Omar Minaya, and David Howard said all the right things during Francesa’s hour and a half interview. But talk is cheap. I am getting too old to assume things are going to be much different. I hope they prove me wrong.

It’s not that these people are trying to dupe us. I do not believe that for an instant. I honestly believe they want the Mets to succeed. It would be psychopathic on their part not to want to win. But it’s the Mets approach and determination that frightens me.

I think it is somewhat easy for Jeff Wilpon to go on the air and say all the things he knows the fans want to hear. I mean what else could he say? If he said anything short of “this year was unacceptable” the fans would have crucified him. What choice did he have? But he did have a choice to make more severe changes than firing a couple of coaches and he did not. For example, if on Monday he announced Bobby Valentine or someone else was the new manager, I would have reason to believe it’s not just words. I do believe cutting ties with Jerry Manuel and his coaches was the move they should have made. If the feeling is the season was unacceptable, why not back it up by firing those responsible.

Omar was Omar. He danced around all the questions really never providing real answers. To some degree, he must measure his words. I don’t blame him for defending Daniel Murphy against Francesa’s tirade in regards to the young first baseman’s shortcomings. Part of me wanted to hear Minaya say we (the Mets) will have to go find a power hitting first baseman but that would have been self defeating. Not only must he protect Murphy because there is a good chance he will man the position again next season but he may want to trade him. How could Omar possibly agree with Francesa publicly and not devalue his commodity. So for that, I have to give Omar a pass.

I must admit, I really like David Howard. At least he’s very honest and is not afraid to speak his mind. He really appears to be the only one in the front office that has a pair. Howard made an appearance recently on Fox Business News countering the claim from author Erin Arvedlund that the Mets would soon have to sell the team. He really let her have it denying the claim. Had the Mets shown as much tenacity on the field as Howard did in that interview, they might have finished at .500.

Honestly, I really could not find much fault with anything Wilpon, Minaya, or Howard said. But that still doesn’t make me feel confident that anything will change. Because let’s face the facts. The New York Mets have been a franchise that has never been able to sustain any kind of success. Every season where they have won, it’s a one-off. Even during the 1980s the Mets won just one time. Why is it so hard for a team who makes New York its home to produce a perennial winner? The Yankees have done it. Why can’t the Mets?

Sure we can argue the difference in payroll, that’s part of it. But another part is the Mets do not seem to foster a winning attitude. It is more likely a good player will improve their game if they become a Yankee than they will if they become a Met. Why? I don’t have the answer but I think attitude is a big part of it and that attitude starts at the top. Saying all the right things is good but following it up with action is better.

I have no doubt the Mets will make some deals and sign a free agent or two. But will they be difference makers or will they be bargains? And when they come, what will the message be to them?

I recall the criticisms of George Steinbrenner years ago. The press ridiculed him for being a bully and making winning the only thing that mattered. Look at the results of the message he sent. He won six world championships and more pennants and division titles than any other team by far since he bought the Yankees. The Yankees always appear to be focused while the Mets appear to be all over the place.

This winter, I promise not to get too excited when I hear a rumor or the consummation of a deal involving the Mets. This time, they will have to prove it to me on the field next season. Till then, I will continue to have my doubts.

One Final Day at the Ballpark

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0400

My son and I were two of the diehards at Citi Field yesterday for the finale. For a one game event, completely isolated from the nightmare of 2009, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Nelson Figueroa pitched the game of his life, the Mets played crisp defense and got the timely hits they needed to put together a tidy 4-0 win. It was the first and only complete game shutout at home this season. Pat Misch, just one week ago, also pitched a complete game shutout against the Marlins in Miami.

Sitting there yesterday, soaking up the warm sun and smelling the grilled sausages, it was easy to think if everyone comes back healthy the Mets will not have to do too much over the winter. Of course, if that happens, the Mets and we fans will suffer the consequences.

I take nothing away from the effort of Nelson Figueroa but the Astros were swinging the bats like the bus engine was running. There was nothing to play for by either team. Once the Mets scored the first run, it was who can make the next out quicker. The game took just two hours and twenty-five minutes to play.

Even if all the injured come back 100 percent healthy, there are things the Mets must do to fix what contributed to the worst record since 2003. And the questions the Mets must answer will not be easy.

Settling on Daniel Murphy at first base and Angel Pagan in left could be tempting if the Mets hierarchy truly believe these players have what it takes to be in the lineup every day. But what if the Mets are wrong? What if Murphy continues to hit in the .260s and remain on a pace to drive in just seventy runs or so? That is simply not enough production from a first baseman, especially when there now are questions as to David Wright’s production. Wright needs protection in the lineup. Is Murphy really that guy?

We’ve heard a lot about Pagan being the best athlete on the team. When healthy, Pagan is a formidable player but too often, he loses focus on the base paths. Is that something that can be addressed? You would think that at this level, baseball instincts should already be established.

I think Pagan could be an excellent fourth outfielder option. I would rather see Jason Bay or Matt Holiday in left field every day. But to acquire those two will cost the Mets big money. Will the Mets be able to raise payroll?

The one thing the Mets must do is to get some pitching help in the rotation. As positive as it may have been to watch Misch, Maine, and Figueroa pitch so impressively over the weekend, the truth is these games are not a good barometer. Maine is the likely candidate to be in the rotation. Misch could be that sixth starter or long relief guy. Figueroa is a great story but he is 35 years old and yesterday may have been the highlight of his career.

Pitching killed the Mets the last two months of the season. It’s not the reason the Mets did not make the post season. That can be blamed on injuries. But the reason the Mets faded in such a brutal fashion falls on the pitching staff. Once Santana went down, the pitching staff fell apart.

Mets hitters led the league in team batting average and with runners in scoring position.. But one noticeable thing missing was runs scored. Much of that can be blamed on the fact that Mets hitters hit only 95 homeruns in ’09. Stop blaming Citi Field. Visiting players hit twice as many homers there than the Mets did. Let’s not forget that if the fences are brought in, that helps the visiting hitters too.

It was a great one day though. The tacos were fantastic and for one brief period we could dream of the summer that is to come. It’s far off today, six months to the day to be exact. But it will come. And when it does, will the Mets have done their due diligence to fix what went to so wrong this season. We’ll see.

Mets Must Fire Manuel

Lou Di Falco — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:17:09 -0400

After the embarrassing sweep of the Mets by the worst team in baseball, I came to the conclusion yesterday that the Mets must fire Jerry Manuel. They must do it today.

I know that most of what went on this season was not his fault. But some of it is. No one could have predicted the injuries that have devastated this ballclub all season long. But could some of the hamstring and other muscle injuries possibly been avoided had the Mets players prepared better for games? I can’t know that and certainly that alone would not be reason enough to release the manager.

But what really is of concern is the way this team has played the last two months. In August and September, the Mets went a dreadful 18-39. If the Mets were heading into the final series of the season say at 77-82, even 75-84, I could see giving Manuel a pass assuming injuries were the sole cause of failure. But the poor play including awful defense and incompetent base running must fall on the manager and coaches shoulders.

This Mets roster in its current configuration should be much better than their record indicates. The 1978 Mets did not have a Carlos Beltran or a David Wright. That was a team you expected not to win 70 games. Even with all the injuries to this 2009 team, not winning more than 70 games is a disgrace.

The current Mets roster was not capable of making the post season once all the injuries occurred, no one is suggesting otherwise. But they should have been more competitive and playing a crisper brand of baseball than the mess we have seen day in and day out. That’s reason number one why Jerry has got to go. Honestly, I’m not sure anyone could do better but the Mets need to find out.

The players seem to like Manuel. There has been no hint of a conspiracy the way there was when Randolph was about to be canned. Perhaps it’s like a marriage that has gone bad. The couple still likes each other but it just isn’t working.

The Mets simply cannot go into next season with the proclamation that everyone will be healthy next year. That would be a terribly wrong message to send and likely would negatively impact ticket sales. And with the news that Jose Reyes will require surgery on his new hamstring injury, there is a strong possibility he will not be ready by opening day. The Mets are now faced with the prospect of extending this disastrous season into 2010. That cannot happen. This is reason number two why Manuel must be fired.

The Mets must cut ties with 2009 at all costs. After being swept by the Nationals with the Mets playing so poorly and the news of Reyes, there has to be some hope provided to the fans moving into next year. I do not care how diehard a Mets fan is, everyone will have second thoughts about spending their money on Mets ticket plans in these hard economic times, especially when faced with the prospect of the same face on this franchise.

As I have stated, I really do not entirely blame Manuel but like a good captain, he must go down with the sinking ship. The Mets need to find someone who can lead this team out of this mess. Someone with a bit more personality and fire appears to be in order. Hmmm, is there anyone that comes to mind that might have recently been let go by a Japanese franchise?

Changing managers guarantees nothing. But the Mets need to act and do something to give their fans hope. A Lou Piniella type guy would excite everyone. A manager like that would give the fans some passion and hope again.

I really don’t think the Mets have much of a choice here. They are headed into an off season when everything is going to be about the Yankees. There is more hatred and venom being spewed at the Mets than I can ever remember. Starting Monday, there are people who work for the Mets who will be tasked with selling tickets for next year. How can they possibly function in the current atmosphere?

Mets management has every right to clean house even if they are part of the blame. Now they must act and do the painful job of firing Jerry Manuel.

They Are What They Are

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:50:42 -0400

I know SNY has a formula and Jerry Manuel has an obligation during the post game show but for the remaining four games of the season, can they please dispense with the managerial interview?

I mean what’s the point? Last night Manuel said, “We have to put forth a better effort than we did tonight”. Is he joking? I actually started laughing. Put forth a better effort? Now, starting on September 30th?

Night after night, it has become just so tiring, hearing the same things over and over again. Jerry, don’t tell us, tell your team. We Mets fans, for better or worse, have been tuning in every night. We have shown more dedication than your team. You don’t need to tell us anymore. Besides, we’re sick of hearing it.

We knew what to expect the moment the Mets loaded the bases with no out in the first inning. Any other team against the Nationals, who have lost 103 games, would have scored four or five runs in the first inning. The Mets however, were able to get just one on a bases loaded walk issued to Carlos Beltran. You could have turned off your sets right there.

Fortunately for me, I had to go out. I remember wondering how the Mets would lose this one having squandered such an opportunity. Later when I got in the car to head home, I turned on WFAN. I was just in time to hear Howie Rose’s call of Elijah Dukes’ wall crashing, game saving catch, off the bat of David Wright. Was I surprised the Mets had just lost the series to the Nationals? I can’t say I was.

When I got home, the masochism in me made me turn on SNY. As I did they were just starting another tedious Manuel interview. What is he supposed to say? What does anyone expect him to say? Do I blame Manuel for this mess? Not entirely but the malaise that has infested this ball club this month has to be blamed on someone.

We can blame everything in 2009 on injuries but there is more to it than that. Two time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells said you are what your record says you are. At 67-91, the Mets are what they are, a terrible baseball team. And that’s with David Wright and Carlos Beltran in the lineup.

I have maintained that if the Mets were healthy with Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado in there every day, the Mets would be in a much different place. But realistically, you cannot assume they would be in a better position than the Cardinals, Rockies, or Dodgers. Perhaps they would be contending for the division only because the Phillies’ bullpen has been so bad but a lock the Mets would not be.

There are too many things this team does wrong. Every error they make, every run they squander takes its toll on a pitching staff that was thin to begin with. Even with the injuries, had the Mets played fundamentally sound, there record would be much better than 24 games under .500.

Back at the beginning of August, I knew the Mets would not be in the post season but I expected them to at least compete and have some say over who would be. The fact that they have not even lived up to those watered down expectations is an indictment on the manager and perhaps his coaches. That’s why, if the Mets were a functional organization, they would make a change in the dugout after the season. Willie Randolph was let go at a time in the season when the Mets were playing far better than they are now so how do they justify not axing Manuel?

Jerry seems like a nice guy, someone you would want to be friends with. But that accounts for little in the world of wins and losses. In business, if a manager or executive had the kind of season Manuel has had, he would be on the unemployment line, regardless of excuses. But in baseball, because of the money the Mets owe him for next season, he will still be around, likely entertaining us during the SNY post game show at least for a while in 2010.

Quite a Sunday, Even For the Mets

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:28:10 -0400

It was a remarkable day in sports yesterday. Both the Jets and Giants won to go 3-0. The Yankees clinched their umpteenth division title and Tiger Woods won the Fed Ex Tournament grand prize even though he finished second this weekend to Phil Mickelson. Oh and let’s not forget our lowly New York Mets whose Pat Misch pitched the first complete game of the season. Not only was it a complete game, it was a shutout too.

Of course it doesn’t matter and nobody cares. You could only be a diehard Mets fan to even notice. I mean seriously, with all the other sports on TV yesterday in the New York Metro area, was there really more than 100 fans tuned into the Mets game at any one time?

This past weekend in Florida, the Mets actually embraced the role of spoiler. That is something they were unable to do against the Phillies and Braves. I give the Mets a B+ in giving the Marlins agita (would have given them an A had they swept). After all, it’s the least the Mets could have done in the wake of the last two seasons.

As you may recall in 2007 and 2008, the Marlins stuck it to the Mets good when they spoiled the Mets last ditch attempt to make the post season on the last game of both seasons. So turnabout is fair play.

With the Phillies and Mets win yesterday, Florida was eliminated from the division. Although the Mets did not actually eliminate the Marlins from the wild card, they certainly dealt them a hefty blow. The Marlins are currently five games back of Colorado with six to play. They must first hop over a red hot Atlanta, who they play three games this week, and hope Colorado collapses. With an elimination number of 2, it would take a miracle at this point.

And what’s with the complete game shutouts over the last three seasons when the Mets face the Marlins for the last time. In 2007, it was John Maine who flirted with a no hitter in the penultimate game of the season. Last year, Johan Santana shut down the Fish with a complete game shutout on a bad knee that required off season surgery. Go figure.

Misch’s shutout was not as impressive as Maine’s or Santana’s but he did battle for nine innings. Give the kid credit. If he was smart he would fake a stomach ache in five days so he can go into the off season on a positive note.

The Mets finish the season with six meaningless contests. They will play three starting tonight in Washington followed by three at Citi Field over the weekend against Houston to close out this disastrous season. The Mets will have to win all six to avoid losing 90 this season. Good luck with that.

Update - My mistake...John Maine pitched 7 and 2/3 shutout ball in 2007. The bullpen completed the game preserving the team shutout.

Going Out With A Whimper

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0400

Has anyone noticed that David Wright and Carlos Beltran have been back in the lineup for a while now but yet the team is no better?

I understand that Johan Santana is gone and that the remaining starting pitchers have been inconsistent at best. But I would have expected that the Mets should have done better in September, at least as a spoiler.

But that has not been the case as the Mets simply have rolled over the entire month. The Mets are a miserable 6-15 in September. They have played 18 games against teams with playoff possibilities. In those games the Mets have tanked at 4-14. They have won two series the entire month defeating the Cubs and Nationals two games to one. They lost all the other series and were swept in two of them.

I never expected the Mets to even play .500 this month but a .286 winning percentage is intolerable. My fear is the Mets will assume that everything that went wrong this year was because of injuries. And while injuries have derailed the Mets season, there certainly are other issues contributing to the problem.

Have the Mets thrown in the towel? If so then what does that say in regards to Jerry Manuel? If they are trying the best they can, then the Mets are going to have to do something radical over the off season. Standing pat is not an option. If that happens, Citi Field will be quite empty next season.

I had expected and assumed with the return of Wright and Beltran that the Mets could have finished the season at around 77-85 and played the spoiler. That certainly was not a lofty goal. Instead the Mets are likely going to finish with around 94 losses not even winning 70 games and having no impact on the races.

Last night, the Mets lost the fifth game in a week to the Atlanta Braves who are fighting for something. Had the Mets shown the same intensity and drive in 2007 and 2008 the Braves and Marlins are showing this year, they would have made the playoffs instead of choking.

In fact, the Mets are choking this September too. For the third season in a row, the Mets are not able to achieve their goal in September. Although the goal this season is much different than the last two years, we should have at least seen the Mets fighting for something, at the very least for pride.

I find myself in a strange position. I actually have to agree with Mike Francesa. I have often been critical of the Yankee centric talk show host but he may be correct in that the Mets do not have the right chemistry to win. They are missing that player who will show them the way, who has the killer instinct to win at all cost.

Perhaps I am being overly critical because it is so hard to watch this team play right now. The season has ten games left. Jerry Manuel has stated he would like to see these remaining games mean something. So far, all they seem to mean to the Mets is get them over with so they can go home. I’m beginning to feel the same way.

It Takes Money to Make Money

Lou Di Falco — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:12:03 -0400

At least that’s what I have been told. And hopefully someone told that to the Wilpons. To fix the mess on the field, the Mets are going to have to spend money.

Some might say the Mets are fine. They will have their players back healthy next year. Is that going to make Mets fans feel confident? Are Mets fans going to be satisfied through the winter knowing that what Mets management is counting on is a clean bill of health? If so, we are all in trouble. If that’s the plan, the Mets are not doing their due diligence to protect from what happened this season. Not making moves and giving the fans some hope, Citi Field could be the emptiest new stadium in Major League Baseball.

And that is precisely why the Mets will have to spend money over the winter. The Wilpons must sell tickets. They cannot afford to have an empty ballpark. If the Mets do not add the necessary players to correct this team, revenue will dry up faster than a Johan Santana fastball. The Wilpons must start repaying the debt on the bonds they borrowed to build Citi Field. They want to make a profit. How will that happen if they don’t invest in the team?

The fan base is more disgruntled and angrier than ever. Mets fans don’t trust the Wilpons and have been critical of everything they have done, even the construction of Citi Field. The fact that the fans perceived Citi Field to be so barren in terms of Mets history has led many to believe there is a disconnect between the fans and the Mets ownership. The perception is that Fred Wilpon cares more about his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers from his childhood than he does the Mets. Honestly, I cannot know if that is true but often the perception is the reality, at least in the minds of the fans.

Fans rushed to buy season ticket plans last season assuming the Mets would contend for a championship. They will think twice this winter. All one has to do is to look on Stubhub.com to see Mets tickets being dumped at ridiculously low prices. Tickets to the Mets-Nats game this weekend are as low as three bucks. These are tickets that normally sell in the 20 to 30 dollar range. In other words, fans are taking a bath on tickets they purchased last winter. They are cutting their losses not paying transportation fees, parking, and on concessions. A friend of mine has already told me he will not renew his season tickets next year unless significant enhancements are made to the roster. Is he alone? I doubt it.

What of the concessions? Blue Smoke, Shake Shack, El Verano Taqueria, Catch of the Day, as well as others all expect huge Mets crowds to move their tasty treats. How long will they stay if the Mets cannot draw?

No one is saying the Mets must trade Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, or David Wright. But they need to go out and spend the money to get a left fielder with power and a productive first baseman. They need a catcher to platoon with Josh Thole or Omir Santos. Most importantly they need another starting pitcher, perhaps two. These upgrades are what are needed to protect the core. Pitchers capable of pitching 200 innings are needed to protect Johan Santana.

If the Mets want to compete next year, free agency is the only way to do it. They could trade prospects but the farm system is thin as it is. And trading a Beltran or Reyes is out of the question because their injuries have reduced their value. And how would the Mets replace these players' production provided they are healthy? Trading David Wright is simply out of the question. He is the face of the franchise and is just entering his prime. Hopefully next season, he finds his power. But that’s another story.

Another point needs to be made. Are the Mets willing to give up the city to the Yankees again? When will the Mets understand that they must run their business closer to the Yankee model? In the past I have defended the Mets because they do have the largest salary next to the Yankees. But maybe that’s not enough. Perhaps the Mets have to increase their payroll in order to right the ship. At one point back in the 70s, George Steinbrenner took a huge risk and invested unheard of dollars in his players. It paid off, the Yankees have won six World Series since 1977 and have been in the playoffs countless times. By contrast over the same period, the Mets in their conservative ways have produced one World Champion 23 years ago with only five playoff appearances. That is appaling when you compare to other big market teams.

Of course this is all easy to say when it’s not my money. And if the Wilpons have been less than honest on how bad they were hurt by Bernie Madoff, then there might not be much they can do. But they keep insisting publicly they are solvent and their baseball operations have not been affected. The office of MLB has backed that up. If that’s true, then this is not the time to cut payroll as some in the media have reported.

All I know is 2009 has been the most disappointing season in a very long time. It’s perhaps as disappointing as 2001, the year after the Mets won the National League Pennant then lost the World Series to the Yankees. After 2000, the Mets chickened out in negotiating with Alex Rodriguez. Say what you want about the off field shenanigans of A-Rod, his bat with Mike Piazza would have made the Mets a formidable force in ’01. Instead the Mets struggled all season barely finishing above the .500 mark.

Because of the injuries this season and farmhands not ready for the Majors, the fastest way to fix the problem is threw free agency. If Omar Minaya is to remain the GM, this is something he can do. Omar has done a very good job of picking good players from the free agent market in the past. If the Wilpons capitulate, he will get another chance.

Mets fans will be watching very closely this off season. The money in their pockets is not likely to be handed over very easily when it comes time to renew those season ticket plans. And that will surely get the Wilpons attention.

Goodbye to Thursdays in 2009

Lou Di Falco — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:56:29 -0400

Thankfully today marks the last Thursday of the season we must endure a Mets game. After tonight’s finale with the Braves in Atlanta, the Mets complete games played on the day named for the Greek god Thor.

On Thursdays, the Mets have compiled an unimpressive 7-12 record, a microcosm of the season. Eight of the nineteen Thursday games were played during the day. One was a makeup game and on another Thursday, the Mets played a day night doubleheader, also the result of a makeup.

The Mets lost the first Thursday of the regular season. They were attempting to sweep the Cincinnati Reds in the season’s opening series. Unfortunately that did not happen as the Reds defeated the Mets 8-6 at Great American Ballpark. That was the first game Oliver Perez started. He gave up all eight runs in 4.1 innings and things never got much better for the left handed enigma.

The Mets did not win on a single Thursday is April. Finally on Thursday, May 7th, that wonderful month of May when the Mets went 19-9, the Mets defeated the World Champion Phillies 7-5, sweeping a brief two game series at Citi Field. Ah, we had so much hope back then. The following Thursday, the Mets defeated the Giants 7-4 at AT&T Park sweeping the only two Thursday games of the month. The game in San Francisco was the first of many without one Jose Reyes. He made a brief comeback but then in Los Angeles, he left for good and hasn’t been seen since.

The Mets went 1-3 on Thursdays in June. The first Thursday, June 4th, the Mets lost the final game of a series at Pittsburgh. The dreadful Bucs swept the rain shortened series. They lost the game 11-6 but that wasn’t the worst loss on a Thursday. That honor was achieved in July when the Mets lost 11-2 to the Dodgers at Citi Field on the 9th, the anniversary of Tom Seaver’s near perfecto 40 years prior.

Perhaps one of the more exciting wins of the season occurred one week before on Thursday, July 2nd when the Mets made up the rained out game earlier in the season at Pittsburgh. The Mets led 9-7 heading into the 9th but Francisco Rodriguez blew the lead as the Pirates tied the game. But the Mets scored a run in the top of the 10th on an RBI single by the since traded Ryan Church to take a 10-9 lead. K-Rod stayed in and got the Pirates out 1-2-3 for the win.

The cleanest win on a Thursday was a 7-0 shutout of the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, July 30th. Johan Santana pitched seven strong innings for his 12th win of the season. That evening however, the Rockies defeated the Mets 4-2 in what became the night end of a day-night doubleheader necessitated due to a rainout the day before. The Mets were shooting for a four game sweep of Colorado but fell short.

In August, the Mets went 1-2 on Thursdays. The only win saw the Mets produce their highest run total on a Thursday. They defeated the Marlins 10-3 in a rare afternoon game in Florida on July 27th. In that game, Fernando Tatis and Angel Pagan homered.

This month, the Mets have split the two Thursday games so far winning on September 3rd, 8-3 in Colorado. A week ago the Mets were crushed 13-4 as the Marlins completed the three game sweep stifling any hopes of the Mets becoming a spoiler.

Tonight, the 2009 Mets bid a fond farewell to Thursday action with the final game in Atlanta. The Mets will send Nelson Figueroa to the hill with the Braves countering with Jair Jurrjens. The Mets will hope to close out Thursdays with a win. Don’t bet on it.

A Fan Without A Country

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:56:54 -0400

What is a Mets fan to do the final weeks of the season, in October, and even November when the World Series could end?

For me, there is no more baseball. I try to watch the game every evening but inevitably, the Mets fall behind, show no energy, make blunders on the base paths and in the field, knowing there is no way they will come back. Listening to Gary, Keith, and Ron is entertaining as they make idle chitchat but really, there are better things to do.

I try to watch the Yankees but it’s no use. Rooting for them to lose is just as futile as rooting for the Mets to win. I wonder if now in my early 50s, I could become a Yankee fan. Then soon that thought dissipates knowing full well that can never happen. I try to watch the Yanks just for the sake of enjoying good baseball but then I just get aggravated watching the Bombers do everything right while up a couple of channels the Mets are doing everything wrong.

I have the MLB.TV Internet package so often I bounce around to different games trying to get into the limited races still left. I watch the Red Sox because for one, NESN does an outstanding broadcast and two; I went to college in Boston and spent many a night at Fenway Park back in the day of Yaz, Fisk, Carbo, Tiant, and Rice. You know who I will be rooting for if the Sox get into it with the Yanks in October.

It’s hard to get excited about the off season. What moves can the Mets make? The free agent market will be thin and it appears the Mets will not want to spend much money. They can’t make any real blockbuster trades because that would require breaking up the core and two of the three were injured severely hindering their value. No way should the Mets ever trade David Wright regardless of the fact he has had an off year. He’s the face of the franchise. Trade him and the Mets might as well close the gates and go out of business.

I was hoping the Mets could at least cause the Marlins, Phillies, and Braves some fits as they all race to the finish line with hopes of a playoff berth. So far, the Mets lost three in a row to the Marlins, lost three of four from the Phillies, and the opener last night in Atlanta. The Mets are going out very quietly. It’s so frustrating.

Yesterday, the Mets announced their 2010 tentative schedule. They open the new season at Citi Field on April 5th. That seems like a million years from now. Before then, there will be the post season, the winter meetings, the hot stove league, etc. We’ll celebrate the holiday seasons, endure several bad winter storms, basketball, hockey, and football including the SuperBowl. These events will all happen before the first baseball player steps on a field in Florida and Arizona come the middle of February. Then we must suffer through countless days of spring training before finally the home opener arrives. It’s all so far away.

I know I’m not alone in my Mets depression. I know I am not alone in wishing for a season where the Mets could collapse on the last day. Yes, even that would be better. The Mets know it too. You see, they are worried about us. They know that like me, all Mets fans are sad, angry, and fed up. That’s why the Mets have already announced that ticket prices next year will be reduced.

We Mets fans have already gone through some of the stages of grief. You only have to turn on sports talk radio and read fans comments on the Internet to know the anger has been going on for a while. For many Mets fans, the depression has started. Acceptance will happen but probably not for a while. When it does, I’ll feel better. We’ll all feel better.

Officially Over

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:40:15 -0400

Well my fellow Mets fans, our team has been eliminated from the playoffs for 2009. I know they were eliminated a long time ago but now it is official by the only true language known throughout the physical universe—mathematics.

The Mets have lost 81 games. It is impossible for the Philadelphia Phillies, the NL East leaders, or for the wild card leading Colorado Rockies to lose 81 or more. So, by virtue of the Mets having lost 81 games, more than both the Phillies and Rockies can lose—ipso-facto, done!

But this is not a lesson about math. It is one about expectation, being careful for what you wish for, and the underlying problem.

For the last two seasons, we have heard nothing but griping and complaining from Mets fans about how disappointed and disgusted they were because the Mets were eliminated on the last day of the season. We asked—could it get any worse? They answer is yes—2009!

The point is when you think it can’t get worse, it does. If the baseball gods came to you in spring training and said you may enjoy a competitive baseball season with the Mets being eliminated on the last day of the schedule or have them done by mid August, which would you choose? Personally, I would take 2007 and 2008 over 2009. Regardless of how both those seasons turned out, at least on this date, September 14th, the Mets would still be in the race with hopes of making the playoffs. And really, hope is all you can really ever have.

We had no hope this year. Really there was no hope since Jose Reyes took himself out of the lineup in Los Angeles back in May. The final nail was driven when Carlos Beltran went on the DL for two and a half months. This season was a total loss because of injures to so many All Star players. And when those players went down, we witnessed something that was there all along—a fundamentally dysfunctional baseball team.

Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, David Wright, and Johan Santana are so good, that when they play, their abilities compensate and overshadow for the lack of fundamental skills that permeate throughout the Mets organization. No question, the season was destroyed by injury but sound and smart play could have kept the Mets competitive. The Mets did not quit, but they did not play intelligently in the field and on the base paths. Those things could have made a difference in the standings.

So maybe there is a silver lining after all to this most forgettable season in years. Hopefully somebody in the Mets organization is paying attention and will come to realize, no matter what super star the Mets sign or trade for, every player needs to get on the same page in terms of how this game is supposed to be played. A case in point was in last night's game when Daniel Murphy attempted a steal of third and was thrown out to end the inning. In a one run game, already in scoring position, and Pedro Martinez beginning to labor, Murphy needed to stay put as the potential tying run.

Matt Cerrone of Metsblog.com talks about a need for an organizational plan. Perhaps the plan should have always been to recruit players who are not only talented in the field but who are smart and know how to play the game. And the Mets organization must teach its young players in their system so they will know too what to do in any given baseball situation. If not, any time a player such as a Beltran or a Wright goes down with an injury, another 2009 could be waiting in the wings.

Disgusted

Lou Di Falco — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:23:40 -0400

The other day I said I thought the Mets were in good position to be a spoiler. Is it too late to change my mind?

Can someone please tell me what has gone right this year? From where I sit, I would have to say nothing. Nothing! Please tell me something, anything positive about this season. I have never seen anything like this. It’s unbelievable.

The injuries, the shoddy base running, inconsistent pitching and bad defense have all conspired to make this year, 2009, the worst in almost twenty years. You have to go back to 1993 when the Mets lost 103 games to find a worse season.

Even the new ballpark has come under criticism. We have heard complaints of it not having enough Mets memorabilia, not enough blue and orange, and lately it has developed some leaks. I mean there is nothing positive.

You can’t even enjoy individual accomplishments. Look at David Wright. He has eight home runs. Eight! What the heck happened to his power? Lots of visiting players have hit home runs at Citi Field so that’s not an excuse. Plus five of Wright’s eight homeruns were hit at home! I don’t get it. And this idea of changing him to a gap hitter is silly. A good gap hitter would have more than 60 RBI.

Then of course there was all the front offices nonsense with Tony Bernazard. Omar Minaya lost his mind and blamed New York Daily News columnist Adam Ruben. Are we in the Twilight Zone? Was that man in the suit with the thin tie smoking an unfiltered cigarette by Blue Smoke Rod Serling?

And did the Wilpons lose 700 million or 300 million in the Bernie Madoff scam? Are they closing their instructional league operation in Florida to save 300,000 dollars or is it because there are not enough teams in the area? They say the Mets are financially sound but yet they spent less than any other team in the amateur draft. What? They spent less than the Kansas City Royals?

The farm clubs played awful too. Except for Brooklyn and the Dominican rookie team, not one Mets farm team had a record above .500. And their two top level teams were horrible.

Obviously the season went downhill with the injuries which make me wonder what kind of trainers and doctors do the Mets employ. I hope none of them have a first name of Moe, Larry, or Curley.

And to top it all off the Mets must endure this freak show while watching the New York Yankees put together one of the greatest seasons in their history. It seems every day, while the Mets lose, the Yankees win. I have been as fair as I can possible be to the Mets players, their fans (I’m one of them), and their administration. But patience is wearing thin.

The Mets hierarchy are going to have one tough off season this winter. They must do more than hope everyone comes back healthy and David Wright figures out what his problem is. But what can they do considering there appears to be very little money available to spend in the free agent market this year (which btw appears to be very thin). What player of decent caliber would even want to come to the Mets with questions of their training staff, a front office perhaps out of money and a cavernous ballpark where home runs go to die?

Usually I feel Mets fans are overly critical. But it is hard not to defend them. Mets fans are angry. They feel betrayed and who can blame them. Injuries are a part of the game and I maintain this season got completely derailed because of the absurd amount of them. I am not backing off of that. But when you see what was exposed because of the injuries you just shake your head.

Injuries to the star players do not cause the remaining players to forget how many outs there are or to run through the third base coach’s stop sign. They don’t make a player miss the cut off man or throw to the wrong base nor do they stop a runner from sliding into home instead of jogging into a tag. The excuse of injury does not force a runner to miss touching a base or cause an infielder to drop a simple pop up with one hand or not sacrifice the runner. The injuries to others should not allow the GM to enable an abusive employee from running rough shot over underlings and bullying minor league players. It should not allow a GM who is feeling the heat to embarrass the entire organization making it a laughing stock.

Frankly, the Mets are in bad shape. Watching the Mets lethargic play during this three game series sweep to the Marlins just about ended my season of sitting on the couch at least hoping for some competitive baseball. For me, baseball is over for 2009. It will only get interesting next April 5th when the Mets open against the Marlins at Citi Field. For now, it’s time to take up a hobby.

Francesa To The Rescue

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I almost drove off the road yesterday afternoon. I have been as critical as any blogger when it comes to Mike Francesa. His pompous attitude does nothing to minimize what Yankee fans in general mean to Mets fans. But yesterday afternoon, much to my surprise, he came to the defense of the Mets. So in fairness, since I have been critical when I felt he deserved it, I must now praise Francesa because in my opinion, he deserves it.

Most sports writers, radio and TV talking heads, have been bashing the Mets for months. They have criticized everything from the minor league system to the water they boil hot dogs in at Citi Field. Not that many criticisms can be challenged but as I have stated in this blog all summer, no team could have ever replaced the cumulative talent the Mets lost to the DL during this season. And much to my shock, that’s exactly what Francesa said yesterday afternoon.

Did the injuries expose a less than adequate farm system? Yes. Did the injuries remove the cover from some of the dysfunctional antics within the Mets hierarchy, namely Tony Bernazard? Yes. But let’s be fair Mets fans. Had the Mets remained healthy, they would be in contention right now. I’m not saying they would be leading the division. But talent wise, they would be in the division/wild card mix.

A fan called into “Miked Up”, the WFAN afternoon radio sports talk show yesterday and started berating the Mets organization for just about everything except global warming. But Mike defended the Mets, stating much of what I have said. Mike also went on to make a point I have been trying to make all season long. Just what team's farm system is out there to replace the likes of Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, John Maine, Oliver Perez, and more recently David Wright and Johan Santana?

I heard Ed Randall on his Sunday morning show state that Tampa Bay and Texas have suffered from major injuries but unlike the Mets, managed to stay in contention. With all due respect to Randall who I admire very much, you cannot compare the injuries those teams had with what the Mets have suffered. The Mets lost five major all star talents for a huge part of the season.

Francesa also went on to say, and I agree, that the Mets have not given up when they easily could have. Now obviously the Mets can’t believe they have a shot at the post season. But they take the field every day trying to win. The decimated Mets simply do not have the talent to win many games.

Jason Stark, the ESPN columnist, wrote an article the other day that would make most Mets fans want to slit their wrists in terms of next season. But that was countered by another ESPN writer, Peter Gammons, who wrote the Mets are not that far away from being a very strong team again. So along with Mike Francesa, Peter Gammons lends a sympathetic and rational point of view to the Mets and their fans.

Gammons also went on to say that the Mets farm system is not as depleted as many have colored it. The fact is the Mets farm teams have collectively had a miserable season except for Brooklyn. But that does not mean they are barren. There are a number of young players the Mets have that will contribute for the Mets in the future either as players or fodder for trades.

So while many Mets fans and many of the media have painted the glass half empty, Peter Gammons and Mike Francesa, of all people, have described it as half full.

Nothing will change the outcome of this year. The Mets will finish under .500 in fourth place in the NL East. But there is hope for next season. Hopefully the players, the GM, and the owners have learned something from this season. Hopefully next year at this time, things will be looking much brighter.

It's Almost Over

Lou Di Falco — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0400

There is some good news on the Mets front. First, there are only 25 games remaining in one of the most forgettable seasons in Mets history. There are just 12 games left at Citi Field for its inaugural season. The Mets have a magic number for elimination at 11 for the division and 10 for the wild card. So in about a week, they should be done. And this is the good news?

Well, sometimes it just feels better when it’s over. But there is some good news on the field too. In defeating the Cubs, two games to one over the weekend, the Mets won their first series in the last eleven. It was the first series win since the end of July when the Mets defeated the Rockies at Citi Field three games to one.

Also, Carlos Beltran will likely return this evening. John Maine may actually start a game this weekend in Philadelphia. And since the Mets are playing only eastern division teams till the last weekend of the season, they do have a chance to pay back teams that have put the screws to the Mets in the past.

Currently, the Braves and Marlins are fighting for the wild card. Although their chances are becoming slimmer each day, both clubs still have a shot. Wouldn’t it be nice to see the Mets give Florida and Atlanta some agita this month?

The Phillies should make the playoffs without too much difficulty but they have lost four in a row. The Mets could at least make them nervous this weekend when they play four games at Citizen’s Bank Park to complete the season’s series.

For the Mets to play the role of spoiler, they will have to play better in the month of September than they did in the month of June, July, and August. I think they can considering they will have Beltran and Wright back together in the lineup. Plus, the pitching has been better as well. I am probably setting myself up for more disappointment, but I think the Mets may have a decent month to close out the season.

Then There Was One…

All minor league Mets teams are now finished for the year except for the Brooklyn Cyclones who made the New York-Penn League post season as the wild card. The Cyclones led the McNamara division for most of the summer until recently. While Brooklyn struggled, the Staten Island Yankees soared to take the division title by winning 13 games in a row. Even at the low A short season level, we have to eat Yankee dust. It’s so frustrating, no?

Citi Pity

Apparently Citi Field is falling apart. At least that’s what the New York Post claimed yesterday. A pipe burst, a couple of luxury suites leaked causing mold, a sign fell down, and some concrete has cracked. It’s hard to know how bad the damage is given the fact it was reported in the Post, a paper that has never been too friendly to the Mets. However, any new building as complex as Citi Field will go through some growing pains. The problems will be fixed and is likely not a big deal. I would bet Yankee Stadium has a few issues too.

Just Call Me Mr. Positive

Lou Di Falco — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I know it’s been a rough year, one of the worst in several seasons but I can’t let myself get sick over it. At some point, you have to realize baseball and the Mets are simply a game. It’s not the war in Afghanistan. It’s not the Swine Flu or raging fires closing in on LA. Certainly it’s not the economic crises or the battle over universal health care. The Mets play a boy’s game and that should be put into perspective.

I say this as an older fan of baseball. I grew up in the 1960s. I and my neighborhood friends were passionate about baseball. We didn’t have the Internet, Xbox, or WFAN to distract us. Those times were turbulent too. We had Vietnam and were recovering from a president, his brother running for president, and a civil rights leader assassinated in the primes of their lives. Baseball was our outlet and what I recall from then was we focused our anger on those things we were angry about. We did not channel it toward our ball clubs.

Does this make me some kind of noble baseball fan? No, of course not. But what concerns me today is the intense anger and hatred I hear toward the Mets. I often wonder if this anger says more about us than it does about the Mets. Should we be cheering our team on, knowing full well they have no chance of winning this year? Not necessarily but I can’t believe some of the calls I hear on sports talk radio or comments from fans I read on blogs and websites. Some make me embarrassed for the fan base.

I’m not here to defend the Mets. I’m a fan just like you. I don’t work for them. They give me no free tickets for writing this blog. They probably wish I would go away and that’s only assuming they are even aware of this blog. But one thing I try to do here is to be fair. I have been critical of the Mets and I have supported the Mets. Certainly at this time, it’s very easy to be critical of a team headed for a losing record with the highest payroll in the National League.

But again, are the Mets the devil stealing our money or are they trying to do their best but it simply did not work out this season? In all honestly, I have to think it’s the latter. A ballclub does not set out to fleece its fans. Any business that treats its customers with contempt will surely fail. The Wilpons are successful real estate people who know they must give their fans a good product. Perhaps the only sports franchise that could get away with not doing so is the New York Giants whose football games have been sold out forever. They could get away with not putting a dime into their team and still sell out. I know that is not the case but they could.

History shows the Mets cannot do that. During the late 70s and early 80s and again in the early 90s and after 2001, Shea Stadium was a ghost town. Fans do not come out to baseball games if the team stinks. This September will be an exception because Citi Field is still new and tickets have already been sold. In fact, I may go to another game just to try that shrimp sandwich I saw prepared on Mets Weekly but I digress…

The Mets know they have got to put a winner on the field next year whether they are hurting from the Madoff scam or not. Some would say the Mets are trying but are incapable of building a winner. Perhaps there is some truth to that but this season was completely derailed when 88 million dollars worth of players spent the majority of the summer on the disabled list. Realistically, how can we measure this season based on all the players who have been hurt? And let’s not forget, as star players went down, the pressure went up on everyone who was left.

Had the Mets remained healthy, they would likely be in contention for the division or the wild card. If that were true, would Mets fans be complaining about the farm system, accusing the Wilpons of being the Coupons, or suggesting that Omar Minaya’s goal is just to fill the roster with Latin players? I doubt it. The truth is if the Mets were winning, no one would have cared about the minor league system, nor would they care if the players were imported from Saturn. When the team loses, Mets fans get angry and they want a reason. They want something tangible to point too. They want to have some control over what is happening.

Some have suggested the Mets will have to completely rebuild now. I disagree. They cannot stand pat but they are not far away from being in contention again. They will have Beltran, Reyes, and Santana back. They will have Jeff Francouer from the start of the season and he is an upgrade from Ryan Church. They will have Francisco Rodriguez as their closer. Hopefully Maine and Perez will be healthy and Pelfrey will get his head screwed on straight prior to the 2010 campaign.

Sure there are question marks. The Mets are going to have to find a catcher, a permanent solution for left field and determine if Daniel Murphy is the answer at first. They will also need to find another pitcher, a legit number two starter to work in tandem with Johan Santana. So Omar or whomever the GM is will have a difficult and busy off season.

As paying customers, you have the right to scream and yell and make any accusations you want. I just feel that all this negative energy is only adding to the problem. So let’s help our team along. Before we write or call in, let’s attempt to be objective. Let’s show the Mets some positive energy. The way things have gone this year, they certainly could use it.

Who Can Watch Anymore?

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:57:09 -0400

The Mets August is over. One month to go, 31 games left. They can’t be completed soon enough.

This is not about injuries, a depleted farm system, or if the Wilpons will ultimately sell or not (btw, I say they won’t). This is just about the state of the Mets without looking at what got us here.

The Mets record is currently 59-72 having yet to win their 60th game of the season. By comparison, over the previous four seasons, the Mets achieved win number 60 on August 16, 2005, July 26, 2006, August 1, 2007, and August 7, 2008 respectively. This season, win number 60 will not happen untill at least September 1st or later. Kind of puts things into perspective.

These Mets are simply unwatchable. Even when they win, it’s hard to care. It reminds me of the late 1970s when the Mets were totally irrelevant. How many games will the Mets finally win this season? Here are some things to consider.

The Mets have had only one winning month this entire season. That was in May when the Mets had a record of 19-9. Even with Jose Reyes on the shelf, you had to assume the Mets were going to compete having completed such an impressive month. But in June, it all fell apart with a 9-18 record. July got a bit better at 12-14 but the just concluded August schedule ended at 10-19, just dreadful.

Add to that the Mets have not won a series since July 27 through 30 when they won 3 of 4 from Colorado at Citi Field. Since then the Mets have split a two game set and a four game set and lost seven three game series. I guess the ultimate optimist would say at least the Mets were not swept in a series during this stretch.

So to answer the question of how many games the Mets will win, I would assume their rate of victories would remain the same considering none of the injured is likely to return except David Wright. No offense to David, but I can’t imagine he will make much of a difference coming back from a concussion.

The Mets have ten series left, all are three game sets except for a four game set in Philadelphia because of a rain out earlier in the season. Of the seven teams the Mets must play, only two, Washington and Houston, are not in contention. Colorado, Chicago, Atlanta, and Florida all have a shot at the post season with Philadelphia being a lock. And all these clubs, perhaps even the Nationals, are better than the Mets.

Let’s assume the trend continues and that the Mets win one game in each three game series and split the four game series in Philly. That would give the Amazin’s eleven more victories this year for a staggering 70-92 record.

But let’s take it a bit further. Does anyone believe this group of Mets, with their depleted pitching staff and anemic lineup, can really take two of four from the Phillies in Philadelphia? Let’s take a victory away from that series. Now the Mets record would be 69-73.

The Mets have six games with Washington. Currently, the Nationals lineup is superior to the Mets. I would not be surprised, especially the way the Nats play the Mets, that Washington could win five out of the six remaining games. Now the Mets record is reduced to 68-94. Maybe I am being extremely pessimistic but we have had five months to become very cynical.

Whether the Mets win 68 or 70 games, this will be the worst season since 2003 when the Mets finished 66-95 in last place 34.5 games behind Atlanta.

If the Mets can somehow win 13 games the rest of the way, they could beat their 2004 record of 71-91. Considering that the Mets won 12 games in July and 10 in August, that doesn’t seem likely. Like I said, these Mets are simply unwatchable.

Omar: Should He Stay or Go

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:32:57 -0400

Over the weekend, Mets CEO Fred Wilpon gave Omar Minaya a vote of confidence that he would return for 2010. As expected, the backlash from Mets fans was not pretty. I have been very critical of Omar too lately, mostly because of the bizarre way in which he handled the Tony Bernazard affair. But is the criticism of Omar fair? Does he deserve to come back or should he be let go?

The popular response is to fire him. But how much of that opinion is tempered because of fans’ anger and frustrations of a team with the largest payroll in the league playing so poorly because of injuries beyond repair?

No one can blame Mets fans for the anger they are showing. When a fan base has been promised a winner and when they are expected to pay exorbitant prices to attend games, souvenirs, and eat at concession stands, those fans have a right to be heard.

But is firing Minaya fair? Does he really deserve to go after a season when the team has been decimated by injuries, the most recent being to ace Johan Santana? Would any team be doing better under the same circumstances?

A common criticism in the media has been that the Mets farm system is barren and the Mets had no one to call up to fill in. Is that fair considering the number of major injuries the Mets suffered? Whose farm system could have replaced the homerun and RBI production of Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado? What club can boast a minor leaguer that could have replaced 50 to 60 stolen bases when Jose Reyes left for the season?

Emotionally, I wanted Omar fired too. However, intellectually, is it fair to not give him another chance considering the ridiculous number of players that were hurt and missed huge amounts of time this season?

As I recall, I did not hear many complain when Minaya brought in Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner, Xavier Nady, Paul LoDuca, Jose Valentine, Chad Bradford, Endy Chavez, Duaner Sanchez, Darren Oliver, John Maine, Pedro Feliciano, Orlando Hernandez, Oliver Perez (the first time), Shawn Green, Damion Easley, Jorge Sosa, Fernando Tatis, Marlon Anderson, Guillermo Mota, Brian Stokes, Ryan Church, and Johan Santana. Each one of these players has contributed greatly to the Mets success from 2005 through 2008. I know many will disagree with 2007 and 2008 as being successful seasons but they were winning teams ending in second place, not the stumble bums from the Jim Duquette/Art Howe years. And the deals made for this year would have likely paid off if not more than half the team spent the summer on the DL. Francisco Rodriguez, J.J. Putz, Sean Green, Jeff Francouer, Alex Cora, and Angel Pagan all helped the Mets this season until the wheels fell completely off.

And in regards to the minor leagues, Omar and his staff drafted Mike Pelfrey, Jon Neise, Bobby Parnell, Joe Smith, Daniel Murphy, and Eddie Kunz. All have contributed to the Major League club to some degree. They are not the greatest prospects of all time but each has shown potential to have very good major league talent given time to develop. Also, there does appear to be a lot of talent at the lower levels of the organization. They were not ready this year to fill in and probably won’t be ready for a couple of more years. And don’t forget that some minor league prospects were used to acquire Santana, Delgado, and others.

What are some of the bad moves Omar has made?

He should have never let Chad Bradford go to Baltimore after 2006, haggling over a two year deal then giving a two year deal to Scott Schoeneweis who never worked out. He traded Heath Bell and Royce Ring to San Diego for Ben Johnson and Jon Adkins, both since released. Omar then sent power arms Matt Lindstrom and Henry Owens to Florida for Jason Vargas and Adam Bostick, both released. He traded Brian Bannister to Kansas City for Ambriorix Burgoes, also released. He let Darren Oliver go to the LA Angels where he still enjoys success and signed aging player Moises Alou who could still hit with the best of them but could not stay healthy. Omar traded for Luis Castillo who was dreadful until this season. He brought in Brian Schneider who has had trouble staying healthy and never lived up to the hype in terms of being a great pitcher’s catcher. He acquired Tim Redding for 2.25 million, whose shoulder was not in good shape when signed then resigned Ollie Perez, giving him 36 million, not recognizing they had likely gotten all they could have from the left handed enigma.

A bigger problem with Omar was what the handling of Tony Bernazard revealed. Attempting to blame New York Daily News writer Adam Rubin for having to fire his crony was completely out of line, immature, and totally unprofessional. I say that with the notion that some of the Bernazard flap was blown out of proportion. Bernazard was trying to teach his AA players that abusing alcohol would not be tolerated. Regardless, Minaya handled the situation poorly. Bernazard was a loose cannon who thrived on intimidating minor league players and other organization underlings. Why didn’t Minaya handle the situation sooner avoiding much embarrassment to the organization? The fact is Minaya would have kept Bernazard, enabling an apparent abusing employee, than to do the right thing. I find that more troubling than any negative trade or signing he has made.

Could some of this communication breakdown be going on with trainers and doctors too? You have got to wonder if some of the Mets injury issues are partly due to less than adequate training personnel whose friendships, like Bernazard, Omar is protecting. What damage will this do for acquiring other Major League players who may be targeted by the Mets in the off season? Carlos Beltran and agent Scott Boras, so distrusting of the Mets medical staff, sought their own opinion when Beltran’s knee became so problematic. No other team, regardless of record, has suffered the amount of injuries the Mets have this season. Is it completely a coincidence?

2009 is hard to completely blame on Minaya. The injuries to the Mets are like something I have never witnessed while following the Mets for so many years. The other two seasons that come to mind in regards to injury are 1972 and 1987 but even they do not compare to the disaster of this season.

Wilpon says Minaya will be back. However, as pointed out by Ed Coleman, he didn’t say as GM. Omar is under contract for three more years. That means the Mets could move him to a less volatile position. We’ll see.

More Shenanigans

Lou Di Falco — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:59:54 -0400

Once again, you scratch your head in regards to moves made in the front office.

I’m not talking about Livan Hernandez, please, enough already. Get him out of here.

What I am referring to is Gary Sheffield who was placed on waivers, the San Francisco Giants claimed him, the Mets pulled him back because they could not work out a deal for a prospect they liked. I can’t entirely blame the Mets but they had to consider that possibility being prepared to accept prospects that may not have been at the level they wanted. At least they would have gotten something.

Now the Mets either hold on to Sheffield who will be a cry baby the rest of the way or they release him for nothing.

Apparently the Mets had also placed Pedro Feliciano on waivers. And like Sheff, he was claimed and the Mets pulled him back. That move I can understand because Feliciano will likely fit into the Mets plans for 2010.

The idea, proposed in today’s New York Post, that the Mets kept Sheffield to sell tickets in September is a bit silly. With the Mets going nowhere, I find it hard to believe that sophisticated Mets fans will head off to Citi Field to see Gary Sheffield bat.

Perhaps the Mets still want Gary around next year but don’t want to give him a new contract now. You have to give Sheffield credit. At age 41, he performed better than anyone expected in a roll no one anticipated. Let’s face it. He was only signed as a backup and pinch hitter. No one projected him with all these at bats at the outset. Only when almost the entire team went on the DL did Gary become an everyday player.

Some have suggested that Sheffield should be back next year as an extra outfielder. I’m not one of them. His legs are brittle and he will be 42. I think the Mets can do better and get younger and healthier bats for backup outfield spots. Some may already be in their midst.

The subplot this season has been the front office and how they go about their business. It has played well next to the main story theme of injury upon injury. The Mets season could have been scripted as one of the great summer disaster films of all time.

Frankly I’m tired of it and I hope some significant changes are made in the front office and on the field. The Mets are going to have to come to the conclusion that they must sever ties with the last three seasons. The meteoric rise to a championship fizzled after 2006. The collapse of 2007 broke Mets fans hearts. 2008 made them an angry mob and the injury riddled 2009 has exposed much dysfunctional behavior with the Mets hierarchy.

The ballpark is great, no question. Now the organization needs to figure out how to put a team in it that Mets fans can get excited over. And I really don’t think it will take much. As long as the Mets stars can get healthy, a shrewd GM should be able to tweak and get all cylinders running. However, the cunning GM in question will have to radically change the starting rotation. Depending on the likes of the Livan Hernandezs of the world must end. Now just who that GM is remains to be seen.

A Modest Goal

Lou Di Falco — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:25:23 -0400

With a record of 55-63, the Mets must go 26-18 to reach the .500 mark by the end of the season. With the four core players now gone from the starting lineup, such a feat seems just about impossible. It’s not, but what hope is there for the remaining 44 games, the Mets have the capability of turning it on all of a sudden.

The Mets have completed competition with the west except for three games with the Rockies in Colorado. The Mets also must play six with the Cubs, whom they have yet to face. They have three remaining with the Astros that conclude the season at Citi Field. All three out of division teams are contending and will not be easy for the Mets to handle.

Realistically, the teams in the NL east they have yet to conclude season series with won’t be a picnic either. The Mets have nine games each with the Braves and Marlins. They have eight with the Phillies and six with the Nationals who always pose a problem for the Mets. Accept for the Nats, the other three east rivals have their sights set on the post season.

The Mets find themselves in the company of the Nationals as spoilers. Realistically, it’s the only thing left to play for. It would be interesting to see if the Mets left standing, come late September, can pay back the Marlins for the last two seasons. Florida is only 4.5 games back of the Phillies and look hungry to challenge the defending world champions.

The Braves are in the hunt too. They are not as talented as the Phillies but Bobby Cox has a way of motivating his players. But I still consider Atlanta the long shot.

Frankly, this season can’t get over fast enough. But when it does end, we will have to endure the constant coverage of the Yankees in the playoffs—ugh! It will be as if the Mets never existed. Unless the Wilpons can Minaya and others at the end of the season, there will not be much to talk about till the post season ends which could be as late as November this year.

The Mets do have a chance to produce the best sub .500 record in their history, a modest goal I admit. In 1991, the Mets completed the season at 77-84. If the Mets can play .500 the rest of the way, they have a shot at bettering that mark. Pretty sad, isn’t it?

Five Year Plan Almost Over

Lou Di Falco — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0400

A general manager usually gets five years to put a plan into action. When Omar Minaya took the job as the Mets GM, I recall him talking about such a plan. We heard of how the Mets would be aggressive in signing quality free agents, how trades would be another avenue for success, and how he and his staff would work hard to build a top of the line farm system.

In 2005, things started out great. Minaya lived up to his word and signed premier center fielder Carlos Beltran to a 117 million dollar contract. He also gave over 50 million to Pedro Martinez. Minaya hired the first African American manager in New York baseball history when he brought Willie Randolph aboard. The Mets were a competitive team heading in the right direction finishing in third place with a better than .500 record for the first time since 2001.

In 2006 Minaya added closer Billy Wagner via free agency and outfielder Xavier Nady. He traded for Carlos Delgado and catcher Paul LoDuca, brought in relievers Chad Bradford, Dauner Sanchez, and Darren Oliver. Minaya also traded for starters John Maine, Orlando Hernandez and when Sanchez went down, Minaya quickly re-acquired reliever Roberto Hernandez and starter Oliver Perez. It seemed every move that Omar made turned to gold.

The Mets cruised to their first division title in 18 years easily out pacing the rest of the division in ‘06. They swept the Dodgers in convincing fashion in the NLDS and reached game seven of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals. In that game, another great Minaya find, outfielder Endy Chavez made one of the greatest catches in post season history robbing a home run that would have given the Cardinals the lead. Eventually, the Cardinals did take the lead when Aaron Heilman gave up a two run homer to Yadier Molina in the top of the ninth. The Mets rallied in the last of the ninth but fell short when Carlos Beltran was frozen by a curve ball straight from hell from reliever Adam Wainwright.

…and the Mets have not been the same since.

Up to that point, everything appeared to be headed in the right direction. The 2006 club was a perfect blend of youth, veterans, and roll players. Willie Randolph could make you scratch your head at times but really did a fine job in guiding the Mets to the playoffs. But following the 2006 season, the wheels started coming off the bus for the Mets.

Chad Bradford, who pitched so well in ’06 was not resigned over a dispute between giving him the two years he wanted vs. the one the Mets wanted to sign him for. Darren Oliver, who was as steady a lefty as any reliever in the pen, was not resigned. He went to Los Angeles of Anaheim where he still is pitching well. Minaya traded current San Diego closer Heath Bell and Royce Ring to the Padres for outfielder Ben Johnson and pitcher Jon Adkins. He sent power arms Matt Lindstrom and Henry Owens to Florida for Jason Vargas and Adam Bostick. Starter and farm hand Brian Banister, who showed promise but was injured and missed most of the 2006 season, was sent to the Royals for Ambiorix Burgos who required Tommy John surgery, was convicted of beating his girl friend, and then committed double vehicular manslaughter in the Dominican Republic. All of a sudden, Minaya was making some very questionable deals.

Never the less, the 2007 Mets got off to another good start. At the end of May the Mets were in first place leading the pack by 4.5 games looking to take off like they did in ’06. But in June the Mets struggled. At one point the Mets lost eight of nine. It was the worst stretch in two years. It appeared the Mets had lost the killer instinct they showed so much of the season before. Maybe part of it was due to the division being better as a whole in ’07. But some claimed and perhaps rightly so, the players were not playing as intense. One of the reasons the Mets ran away with the NL east in ’06 was because the rest of the division was not very good. Did Minaya, Randolph, and the rest of the club not recognize that?

However, not playing with the same intensity of a year before, the Mets still continued to lead the division through the rest of the summer. On September 12, after having defeated the Braves 4-3, the Mets held a seven game lead with only 17 games left in the season. For the first time in franchise history, the Mets were poised to win back to back division titles. But instead, the Mets authored the worst collapse in regular season baseball history. On the last day of the season, a day after John Maine pitched the best game of his career to get the Mets back even with the Phillies on top of the division, Tom Glavine got no one out in the top of the first as the lowly Marlins sent the Mets home for the winter. A stunned Shea Stadium crowd sat with hands over faces, tears rolling down some cheeks, in shock over what had happened.

The phone calls on talk radio echoed the frustration and anger from the Mets fan base for weeks. It wasn’t until Omar acquired Johan Santana in February of 2008 did the fans begin to think positive about the team again. But in 2008, the Mets did not own first place like they did for the majority of the previous two seasons.

Even with ace Johan Santana the Mets struggled. In June, Willie Randolph was fired in a strange turn of events. Prior to leaving for a west coast swing, Willie was assured his job was safe. A day later, after flying all night, Omar Minaya fired Randolph. There were rumors that vice president of player development Tony Bernazard had a lot to do with getting Randolph fired.

However clumsy the firing was, the Mets did respond to new manager Jerry Manuel. At the All Star break, the Mets were a half game back of the Phillies, seven games over .500. The Mets finally reached first place at the end of July but could not shake Philadelphia. Through August, a three team race ensued including the Phillies and Marlins but the Mets held a slim margin through the end of the month providing hope to the fan base that atonement for ’07 might be in the works.

But with 17 left to play and the Mets holding a three game lead, it was déjà vu all over again. In surreal fashion, the Mets season ended much like the year before. This time, the bullpen was the culprit. So poorly built by Minaya and so overused because of starting pitchers' inability to pitch six or more innings, the relief core blew game after game. The Mets needed to win two of three for a playoff spot in the final series against the Marlins. After losing the opener, Johan Santana pitched the game of his short Mets career in the penultimate game much like Maine did the year before. But in the final game, Shea’s final game, a game where a grand closing ceremony was planned, the Mets lost to the Marlins again denying a post season berth on the last day of the season for the second consecutive year. 2008 might have been considered a decent year if it weren’t for the fact the Mets had collapsed so badly the season before.

And as the current season continues to unfold, there will be no similar end like ’07 and ’08. By the end of this season, the Mets will be totally irrelevant. Major injuries, a farm system without major league ready talent, and perhaps the lack of a plan have doomed the Mets to a less than .500 team. This was not the way ownership wanted to inaugurate their beautiful new home.

2009 marks the end of five years that Omar Minaya was given the keys to the franchise. Regardless of a contract extension and his best intentions, could anyone blame the Wilpons if they let Minaya go at the end of the season?

You can’t say that Omar was not capable of making good deals. He did and plenty of them. His staff also has drafted good players too like Fernando Martinez, Jonathan Neise, and Mike Pelfrey. They currently have five or six gems in the minor league system but accept for Fernando Martinez, who is injured again, no one is ready for the majors. Omar has made bad trades and bad free agent signings too. Getting rid of Bell, Bradford, Oliver, Lindstrom, and Owens, when the Mets needed a bullpen most was key to the Mets failures of 2007 and 2008. Although Luis Castillo has had a bounce back year, the four year deal Minaya gave to the second baseman was unnecessary and excessive. And it appears that the deal awarded Oliver Perez was ill conceived, perhaps a reflection of not being able to determine when a player no longer can be productive.

In fairness, Omar turned the Mets into a competitive team and made them relevant again. As bad as things have become the last three seasons, they are far better than they were under Jim Duquette and Art Howe. But that only goes so far.

The bottom line is that in a market where you are expected to win and ownership has paid out the highest salary in the National League, plus having to play in the shadow of the Yankees, Omar Minaya and his staff have not delivered. His plan peaked in 2006 and has taken a step back each year. Add on to that the bizarre and embarrassing way in which he handled the Tony Bernazard affair.

The question the Wilpons must ask themselves is this: can they continue to let Minaya make the baseball decisions in light of what has happened since 2006? The Mets fan base is likely the angriest of the 30 major league clubs and they have a right to be. Citi Field’s ticket prices are astronomical compared to most other clubs. Fans who bought season tickets assuming they could resell many through ticket brokers for a profit will think twice before purchasing next season. You know the Wilpons, Saul Katz, and David Howard have to be concerned.

From a baseball perspective, the Phillies will continue to be a top rated club with a young core and a fine system for a number of years. The Marlins have a new stadium coming on line in three years, an excellent farm system, and will not need to sell off their top players as they have done so in the past. The Braves are slowly making their way back into an elite team and even the Washington Nationals have good young players on the farm and will likely be able to select 16 year old sensation Bryce Harper in next year’s amateur draft.

The Mets still have a good core group and some fine players on the horizon but management is going to have to make a decision after this season. Jeff Wilpon’s recent candid remark to writer Bob Klapish “The team has been headed in the wrong direction for years” is telling. What message will Jeff send Mets fans to give them hope through the winter ahead? Unless a miracle of all Mets miracles occurs between now and October 4th, regardless of recent words backing the GM, the Mets will likely make sweeping changes within baseball operations and they will be justified in doing so.

Curses

Lou Di Falco — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:49:55 -0400

According to Websters, one of the meanings of curse is - a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one. So who put the curse on the Mets?

My first thought was George Steinbrenner. He always hated the Mets. But honestly, I know he’s not in the best of health so I have a hard time believing he did it. Maybe Hal or Hank but I don’t see the same fire in their eyes when it comes to the Mets the way it did for George. Besides, they have too much on their mind this weekend with the showdown series with Boston.

Perhaps it was the ghost of Bill Shea or someone in his family. After all, the building that was named for the New York lawyer was torn down and they didn’t name the new facility after him.

I saw on the Internet, banter wondering if Citi Field was built on top of an ancient Native American burial ground. Now there’s an interesting thought. Perhaps it was the same Native Americans who were duped into giving up Manhattan for $24 worth of beads. Maybe they are getting their revenge.

Actually, I don’t believe in curses. I don’t believe in UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle, or the Mayan Calendar. But I do believe Americans landed on the moon. I also am beginning to believe that maybe the Mets trainers are not very good.

I’m not sure that is fair but it is getting to the point where the mounting injuries is becoming a bit more than coincidence. And since I don’t believe that ghosts or curses are the reason, something has to be.

You have to begin to wonder if the players are preparing properly before games. Do they do enough stretching or do they do too much. If anything, the Mets need to review procedures over the off season and make changes if necessary. They may need to change trainers for the simple reason to make players coming to the Mets feel confident. The Mets medical staff right now can’t be considered one of the better ones in the game with the rash of injuries that have befallen this team.

Of course it could also be just the breaks. Nothing more than an unfortunate turn of events, a once in a generation season that when everything can go wrong, it does.

In 1972, injuries caused the Mets to miss the post season. At the end of June, the Mets were 41-26, tied with the Pirates for first place. But injuries took their toll, especially when Rusty Staub went down. The Mets finished in third place that year. The 1987 club suffered a rash of injuries to the pitching staff making it impossible to repeat as division champions. However, the Mets farm was loaded with arms and at least they remained competitive winning 92 games losing out by just three games back.

This season is the worst in 48 years of operation in regards to injuries. In combination with a farm system not abundant in talent, it’s been a season making Mets fans long for the winter meetings. Hopefully it’s a once in a lifetime occurrence. Hopefully next season, the Mets will be healthy, whoever those Mets players are.

Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:04:38 -0400

When you look at this list of Mets injuries I have compiled from Mets.com, it’s startling. In all my years of following baseball, I have never seen anything like this season. 2009 is far worse than 1987 when the Mets rotation was decimated with injuries and was the main reason the Mets did not repeat as champions. That year, the Mets still finished a strong second with a 92-70 record. Had there been a wild card then…but I digress.

Anyway, take a look at this list of Mets injuries this year and try not to laugh when you get to the last one that occurred in the Mets dugout during the game. It’s really not funny anymore.

March - Tim Redding – Shoulder tendinitis, Billy Wagner is on 60 DL while recovering from Tommy John surgery

April 15 – Mike Pelfrey diagnosed with forearm tendinitis. He will miss a start, does not go on DL

April 17 – Brian Schneider is placed on the 15 day DL with a muscle strain in his back

April 27 – Castillo leaves game with back spasms – misses a few games

April 27 – Carlos Delgado sits with hip discomfort – returns to action on May 4

May 7 – After several dreadful starts, Oliver Perez is placed on the DL with tendinitis in his knee

May 11 – Carlos Delgado sits with hip acting up again

May 14 – Jose Reyes sits with tight calf

May 14 –It is reported that J.J. Putz is struggling from a bone spur in his elbow

May 16 – Carlos Delgado goes on DL, Reyes still out of action

May 18 – Alex Cora goes on DL with torn tendon in thumb

May 18 - It is announced that Delgado will undergo hip surgery.

May 18 - Tim Redding and Jose Reyes return to the game action

May 19 – Delgado has surgery, will require 10 weeks to recover

May 21 – Mets doctors diagnose Jose Reyes with tendinitis in calf, leaves game, may have to go on DL

May 22 – Mets announce Reyes will not go on DL

May 23 – Ryan Church leaves game with sore right hamstring

May 23 – K-Rod has back spasms so bad he is taken to Mass General to spend the night.

May 26 - Ryan Church goes on the DL with sore right hamstring

May 26 – Jose Reyes placed on the DL

May 26 – It is announced that Carlos Beltran will have an MRI on right knee

May 30 – Brian Schneider is activated

May 30 – Carlos Beltran is sidelined with stomach flu

May 31 – Angel Pagan leaves game with strained right groin

June 2 – Ramon Martinez breaks his pinky sliding into home requiring surgery

June 2 – Beltran and John Maine still have stomach virus

June 3 – Angel Pagan placed on the DL with groin pull

June 3 – Gary Sheffield is out of the lineup with a tender hammy

June 3 – Carlos Beltran returns from stomach flu

June 4 – It is diagnosed that Reyes has a slight tear in his right hamstring after running in rehab. He will resume rehabbing after two days of rest

June 5 – J.J. Putz is placed on the disabled list with an elbow bone spur. He will have surgery and miss at least two months of the season

June 7 – Ryan Church returns from the disabled list

June 12 – John Maine is placed on the DL with fatigue in his right shoulder

June 15 – Gary Sheffield has sore right knee. First he will have an MRI then he won’t have an MRI

June 18 – John Maine has a setback in rehab, in a simulated game throws 60 pitches and feels a pinch in the back of his shoulder

June 20 – Another MRI is scheduled for Carlos Beltran’s balky knee which he got a bone bruise in late May

June 22 – Carlos Beltran is placed on the DL with sore right knee

June 29 – Carlos Beltran gets second opinion from Colorado specialist who treated Alex Rodriguez.

June 30 – Colorado knee specialist concurs with Mets doctors that Beltran does not need micro fracture surgery

July 7 – Oliver Perez returns to the rotation

July 9 – Fernando Martinez is placed on DL with inflammation in his knee

July 10 – Angel Pagan returns to lineup

July 19 – Fernando Nieve tears muscle in right thigh, will miss six weeks. Placed on 60 day DL.

July 25 – Mets place Gary Sheffield on the DL retroactive, eligible to return on Aug 2

July 30 – Dr. James Andrews confirms diagnosis that Maine’s problem is weakness in right shoulder

August 4 – Jose Reyes returns to New York for another examination after feeling tightness in his right hamstring

August 4- After Luis Castillo grounds out, he falls down the dugout steps and sprains his ankle.

Update Aug 5, 4:40 EDT - August 5 - Jonathan Neise left the game with a strained right hamstring and so did Gary Sheffield - you just can't make this stuff up.

Update Aug 16 - David Wright is placed on the 15 day DL after being hit in the helmut with a fastball from Matt Cain.

Update Aug 17 - Alex Cora is done for the season and will require ligament surgery on both thumbs.

Update Aug 24 - Jeff Francouer tears a ligament in his left thumb. He is day to day. Also, the Mets announce that Johan Santana will miss his next start because of elbow soreness. Santana will see Dr. David Altchek on Tuesday, August 25.

Update Aug 25 - Johan Santana will have season ending microscopic surgery on his left elbow to remove bone chips. Sanatan should be ready to go in spring training. Also J.J. Putz will be shut down the rest of the season with a partial tear of the ulner nerve in his right elbow. It is likely that Putz has thrown his last pitch for the Mets. Jerry Manuel also hinted that Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Jose Reyes are done for the year too.

Update Aug 26 - It was announed that Oliver Perez has petella tendon tendinosis. The madaldy will require surgery that will end Perez's season. He will be ready by spring training.

.500 Or Bust

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:23:46 -0400

At the rate the Mets are going, soon they are liable to look more like ZZ Top than a .500 team.

I think its great the team is showing such unity and has agreed not to shave till they get to the .500 mark. It’s been several days already and now will require a four game winning streak to get clean shaven as soon as possible. Here is a case where the Mets may have thought with the Diamondbacks coming to town, the razors would be sharpened sooner than later. So much for the best laid plans.

With yesterday’s lack luster loss, the Mets have fallen back to four games under the .500 mark. Tonight they must face Dan Haren, the Dbacks ace, and tomorrow and Wednesday, the Cardinals come to town before the Mets head to San Diego where they were swept last season. I’m not saying the Mets won’t get back to the .500 mark. All I am saying is the Mets, at least facially, may soon look like the Metropolitans from the 1880’s American Association than the modern day version.

Let’s be realistic, the Mets chances of making the post season this year are looking slimmer each passing day. Forget the division. That would require a feat bigger than game 6 of the 1986 World Series for that to happen at this point.

The Mets are currently 9.5 games back of the division leading Philadelphia Phillies who acquired Cliff Lee to bolster their pitching staff before the trading deadline. The Mets, by contrast, did nothing to help their beleaguered players. Mind you, I was not for giving up the entire farm to acquire a Victor Martinez. If the Mets were healthy and needed just that one piece to put them over the top, that’s one thing. But to have Martinez for just this year and next when there are so many things that must be addressed would not have been a good move. I credit Minaya for sticking to his guns and holding on to his best prospects even though he likely won’t be the GM much longer.

And as for the wild card…let’s look at the numbers. The Mets currently trail the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants (tied) by 7.5 games in the wild card. The Mets have 58 games remaining. Let’s assume that one of those two leading clubs simply goes 28-29 the rest of the season while all the other contenders do worse. That would give either Colorado or San Francisco a record of 86-76. In order for the Mets to win 87 games, they would have to go 37-21 the rest of the way. That’s a .638 winning percentage.

The best record the Mets had so far this season was at the end of May when they were 28-21, a .571 winning percentage. And for part of May, the Mets still had Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran. So how can any Mets fan logically conclude that with no changes to the roster other than Jeff Francouer or injured players returning to peak performance, the Mets will suddenly become a .630 team? And this scenario assumes less than mediocrity from the teams in the wild card hunt.

Even if the Rockies and Giants were to fall flat on their clean shaven faces, what are the odds of the Cubs, Marlins, Braves, Brewers, and Astros all tanking as well? The reality is that one of the seven teams in front of the Mets will play far better than .500.

This is why you can’t blame Minaya for not making any deals at the deadline. Unless the farm system could have netted the equivalent in talent from the fallen Reyes, Beltran, and Delgado, what would have been the point?

My wishes are simple. I hope the Mets can at least finish above .500 (as I am sure the player’s wives do too). I would like to see the streak of winning seasons continue for the 5th consecutive year. Say what you want but in retrospect, it’s better to see the club you root for having finished above .500 then under it.

This has been a difficult season. For me, being realistic, rooting for a .500 season is about all that is left to hope for.

Wrong Direction Remark Could Be Key

Lou Di Falco — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:23:50 -0400

It is several hours till the trading deadline. The Mets will likely not be big players. This season has been like no other in recent years. The team has been decimated by injuries which has knocked the playoff train off the rails. And this week, the general manager embarrassed the entire franchise and the fan base with his misguided attempt to blame Adam Rubin for the firing of Tony Bernazard.

As August descends on the baseball season, the Mets find themselves 6.5 games back of the wild card and with hopes of catching the Phillies for the division an unrealistic fantasy. Although the Mets have been playing better lately, and there are signs the big players will be back sooner than later, realistically, hope of making the playoffs is a long shot.

Bob Klapish has written an excellent piece in the Bergen Record. In the article Klapish reports on the chances of Omar Minaya continuing to be the Mets GM beyond this season.

There was one line in the article I found most intriguing. It was a quote from COO Jeff Wilpon, son of CEO Fred, who said the Mets have been going “in the wrong direction” for years. Specifically, the Mets have been going in the wrong direction since a curveball broke over the plate freezing Carlos Beltran ending the Mets 2006 season.

The fact that Jeff Wilpon feels this way speaks volumes. Through much of the last three seasons, Omar Minaya has been the voice, as inarticulate as it is, of the franchise. The owners behind the scenes have been relatively quiet. Recently, the only time you heard from Fred was when he was waxing poetic about the days of going to Ebbets Field with his Dad as Citi Field was preparing to open. Jeff was a bit more available but not much, not until this week that is.

After Omar’s meltdown on Monday when every Mets fan must have thought the rudder had come completely off the ship, it was Jeff Wilpon who came out before game time and apologized to the media. Unlike Omar, Jeff appeared to understand immediately what fire control was needed. It must have been interesting behind the scenes as the first press conference unfolded. I could just imagine the cringing in Jeff’s office as Omar opened his mouth to change feet.

The impression one gets reading Klapish’s article is that Minaya is not safe. He likely will not return as Mets GM regardless of his contract extension. While many feel the Mets can’t eat his contract, they can move him to another less volatile position within the organization.

Many Mets fans have implied that Jeff Wilpon is just the spoiled son of billionaire Fred. That is a gross mischaracterization. Jeff has worked in the family real estate development business for over 25 years and had a huge hand in the development, design, and construction of Citi Field. Now that Fred is older, Jeff has more responsibilities in the day to day operation of the baseball team and realistically is the owner of the franchise.

The good news for Mets fans is that he may be more like us than we think. His comment in regards to the Mets heading in the wrong direction may hint that he is as frustrated with the club as we are. But of course he can do something about it while we cannot. We don’t know what kind of owner Jeff will be but he grew up as a Mets fan. There were no Brooklyn Dodgers when Jeff was born. His focus may be much more Mets centric than Fred’s ever was. Time will tell but at least it is something positive to consider during a season filled with so much frustration and disappointment.

Deadline Deals

Lou Di Falco — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:45:58 -0400

With the non-waiver trade deadline only 24 hours away, here is a list of Mets trades made at or just prior to the July 31 trade deadline for the last 10 years. After reviewing these deals you can see that the deadline is rarely as exciting as it is cracked up to be.

2008 - No deadline deals

2007—

7/30 Mets trade catcher Drew Butera and outfielder Dustin Martin to Twins for second baseman Luis Castillo.

2006—

7/31 Mets traded outfielder Xavier Nady to Pirates for right handed pitcher Roberto Hernandez and left handed pitcher Oliver Perez.

2005 – No deadline trades

2004—

7/30 Mets trade left handed pitcher Scott Kasmir and right handed pitcher Joselo Diaz to Tampa Bay for right handed pitchers Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato. Mets also traded infielder Ty Wigginton, outfielder Jose Bautista, and right handed pitcher Matt Peterson to the Pirates in exchange for right handed pitcher Kris Benson and second baseman Jeff Keppinger

7/31 Mets trade right handed pitcher Scott Erickson to the Rangers for Josh Hoffpauir.

2003—

7/28 Mets trade left handed pitcher Graeme Lloyd to the Royals for right handed pitcher Jeremy Hill.

7/29 Mets trade shortstop Rey Sanchez to the Mariners for outfielder Kenny Kelly.

There was a flurry of trades made earlier in July ’03 that included sending Armando Benitez to the Yankees, Jeromy Burnitz to the Dodgers, and Roberto Alomar to the White Sox.

2002—

7/31 Mets trade left handed pitcher Bobby M. Jones, outfielder Jason Bay, and right handed pitcher Josh Reynolds to the Padres for right handed pitchers Jason Middlebrook and Steve Reed. Mets also traded right handed pitcher Mark Corey, and outfielders Jay Payton and Robert Stratton to the Rockies for right handed pitcher John Thompson and outfielder Mark Little.

2001—

7/30 Mets trade right handed pitcher Rick Read to the Twins for outfielder Matt Lawton.

7/27 Mets trade right handed pitcher Turk Wendell and left handed pitcher Dennis Cook to the Phillies for left handed pitchers Bruce Chen and Adam Walker. A few days earlier catcher and 1999 NLDS hero Todd Pratt was traded to the Phillies for Gary Bennett.

2000—

7/28 Mets trade shortstop Melvin Mora, utility player Mike Kinkade, and right handed pitchers Lesli Brea and Pat Gorman to the Orioles for shortstop Mike Bordick. The Mets also traded right handed pitcher Paul Wilson and outfielder Jason Tyner to the Devil Rays for outfielder Bubba Trammell and right handed pitcher Rick White.

1999—

7/31 Mets traded utility player Craig Paquette to the Cardinals for outfielder Shawon Dunston. The Mets also traded right handed pitchers Jason Isringhausen and Greg McMichael to the A’s for right handed pitcher Billy Taylor. A third trade on this date also saw outfielders Brian McRae and Tom Johnson, plus left handed pitcher Rigo Beltran go to the Rockies for outfielder Darryl Hamilton and left handed pitcher Chuck McElroy.

7/25 Mets trade outfielder Terrance Long and pitcher Leonor Vasquez to the A’s for left handed pitcher Kenny Rogers.

As you can see, there really were no block busters on the trade deadline. Mike Piazza was acquired in May of 1998, two months before the deadline. The worst trade at the deadline in recent history has to be the Kazmir disaster of 2004. In 06’ the Mets acquisition of Oliver Perez proved to be an excellent deal even though it cost them Xavier Nady. Without Perez, the Mets would not have reached as deep into the playoffs as they did that season.

The best trade at the deadline in Mets history had to be in 1983 when the Mets acquired first baseman Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals for pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey. The worst trade was undoubtedly 6 years earlier when the Mets sent the Franchise, Tom Seaver to the Reds for pitcher Pat Zachery, second baseman Doug Flynn, and outfielders Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. Both trades occurred on June 15 which was the trading deadline back then.

So if you think the Mets will make a blockbuster deal before the trade deadline expires at 4:00PM Eastern on Friday, history shows the odds are against it.

Cirque du Mets

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:40:09 -0400

Well just when you thought if couldn't get any crazier than it all ready is at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 126th street, it did.

While attempting to douse the flames on one controversy, the Mets began a new one with Omar Minaya in the center ring. While attempting to explain why he wanted to have a full investigation, Omar stuck his foot in his mouth when he more or less (mostly more) accused Adam Rubin of creating the story about Tony Bernazard because Rubin had wanted a job in the Mets player development department.

It was really one of the most embarrassing moments in Mets history, perhaps even more embarrassing than anything that happened in 1962. This event far outweighed Ryan Church missing the bag in Los Angeles or Luis Castillo dropping Alex Rodriguez's pop up.

If the Mets were run by a functional group, Omar would likely have been fired right after the press conference. But later, Jeff Wilpon and Omar attempted to do some damage control by admitting what Omar did was simply stupid. Although, Omar did not retract what he said, just where he said it.

There is no excuse for Omar's petty behavior today. He declared war on the media and it's a war the Mets can't win. The Mets would likely win the World Series before they could defeat the media.

Now I always try to be fair. There are always two sides of the story. Nothing is as plain as it seems. In terms of Adam Rubin, I have nothing but respect for his writing and his professionalism. His reports are never biased. He calls it like it is. That's what you want from a beat reporter. That's what Rubin did in the story of Tony Bernazard tongue lashing the AA squad and threatening to fight them for staying out late and drinking.

You cannot fault Bernazard and the message he was trying to get across to his players but how he did so is the problem. And of course many other stories have come out about Bernazard's temper and short fuse that often erupted into arguments with co workers and club house attendants. And who can forget how Bernazard’s name popped up when Willie Randolph was in the process of being ousted. And one unnamed veteran referred to Bernazard as a cancer in the clubhouse.

It's hard to know if the report Rubin wrote was 100 percent accurate. But apparently, and according to Minaya, an investigation was already underway by the Mets HR department (funny the Mets have an HR department but the fewest home runs in the Majors. Sorry I couldn’t resist). If that's true, then it makes the press conference that much more bizarre.

So why did Omar do it? I think it’s very clear. He likes Tony Bernazard and did not want to fire him. But because of the reports in the Daily News, Minaya had no choice. It’s plain and simple.

I’m sure the pressure has been building. Injuries have derailed the Mets chances of a post season this year. Once the Mets started to lose, the press descended on them like a pack of wolves on a fallen doe. That is the nature of the media these days. Gone are the days of protecting a Jack Kennedy as he snuck in and out of the White House with a starlet or two as the press winked to each other as if they were in some sort of fraternity. Just ask Bill Clinton. Or ask A-Rod who can’t even sun bathe in Central Park without him being on the front page of the New York Post.

Once the Mets started to lose, all the cracks were exposed and it became fair game for the media. If it wasn’t the bench players who could not perform then it was the minor league system that could not deliver a prospect or two to come close to the production of Beltran or Delgado.

When the Bernazard story broke, that may have been the last straw. I’m sure Omar wasn’t too pleased with an article Rubin wrote in regards to his performance as GM a couple of weeks back either. So today was the day that Minaya decided to get even. He showed a temper today, so angry that he risked his own position as head of baseball operations.

Are Omar’s feelings understandable? Yes, to a point. Is Omar justified for his actions in regards to Rubin? Absolutely not. Omar appeared so paranoid, that I would have not been surprised if he had asked those in attendance if they had taken the strawberries out of the food locker while he rolled marbles in his hand.

What I find so disturbing is that Omar’s anger indicates he was forced to fire a friend that Human Resources reported his actions were not inline with the values of the organization. In other words, had the article not come out, Minaya would have turned the other cheek allowing the abuse of many within the organization to continue. That’s what I find so distasteful and why I think Minaya should be let go.

Jeff Wilpon will keep Minaya though. They owe him for three years and aren’t going to eat that contract. Wilpon probably is angry at the media too and although he said the right things before the game, he probably agrees with Omar.

This has been one of the strangest Mets seasons ever in all aspects. It has been so strange that you wonder if the Mets just might pull off something incredible this year. While everything points to that not happening, I say watch out. When things as weird as today happen, I leave all possibilities on the table.

Madden Calls For Omar's Head

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:21:13 -0400

Bill Madden of the New York Daily News is calling for a complete house cleaning at Citi Field. In Saturday’s article, he calls for the Wilpons to fire General Manager Omar Minaya, Tony Bernazard, and Ramon Pena who he concludes are “so-called talent evaluators”. Madden makes a lot of excellent points in terms of Omar having no plan. But is he completely accurate?

One of Madden’s claims is that the Mets farm has a dearth of talent. Well, I guess that’s true if you assume that the Mets should have been able to bring up MLB ready players to take over and produce exactly like Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Carlos Delgado. You might also assume so since they were unable to replace J.J. Putz or Oliver Perez with pitchers ready to come up and win the Rookie of the Year award. But the question I ask is what organization can do that?

I have been critical of the Mets brass too but I always like to look at both sides of the argument. To say the Mets farm system is dearth of talent is unfair. Do the Mets have one of the best farms in baseball? No. Do they have one of the worst? No to that also.

What makes the Mets farm system look so bad this year is their collective minor league record. It is dreadful. But that does not mean they have no prospects. It just means they don’t have enough prospects or their prospects are not blossoming as fast as anticipated. Baseball America rates the Mets system as 17th overall, not great but not horrible either.

Jonathan Neise is a young Mets prospect who has pitched in the majors on and off since last year. Recently, he pitched so well at Buffalo, the Mets called him up to pitch at Houston where he threw seven solid innings giving up just one run. Bobby Parnell has contributed at the major league level too, another Mets prospect with a bright future who has hit the radar gun at 100mph. Daniel Murphy has struggled this year when compared to what he did last season. But he has shown signs of getting his hitting stoke back and has fielded better than anticipated at first. And didn’t the Mets obtain ace pitcher Johan Santana by dealing four prospects to Minnesota? Plus the Mets currently still have Fernando Martinez, Josh Thole, Ike Davie, Tobi Stoner, Nick Evans, and others.

I’m not trying to protect Minaya, Bernazard, and Pena. I kind of agree with Madden. But I’m simply trying to be fair and point out that while the Mets have suffered unbelievable injuries this season, everything else is being overly scrutinized as a result.

Madden points out many bad trades Minaya has made. Omar brought in Luis Castillo for a four year 25 million dollar contract when they did not need to offer him so many years. But in fairness, Castillo has played remarkably well this season and is now hitting over .300. We all can’t forget the dropped pop up in Yankee Stadium but other than that he has been as solid a second baseman as there is in baseball.

Madden cites Julio Franco, Orlando Hernandez, and Moises Alou as terrible signings. I agree except for El-Duque who produced at least for a while. And if you are going to criticize these signings, you have to applaud the signings of Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez (he did have a good year and a half and everyone knew he was a gamble), Billy Wagner, Paul LoDuca, and Francisco Rodriguez. And on the trade front, he brought in Xavier Nady who netted Oliver Perez (regardless of what you think now, Perez pitched great in the 2006 playoffs). He traded for John Maine, Carlos Delgado, J.J Putz and the above mentioned Santana. And so far, the Jeff Francoeur deal is looking good but it’s still too early to tell.

So is Omar really the worst GM in baseball? No. Is he somewhat of a pretender? Perhaps at times. I do agree with Madden in that the Mets really do not seem to have a plan. Madden points out that Omar should have obtained Jason Marquis, who they could have acquired for next to nothing and wanted to come to the Mets. Marquis currently leads the NL in wins. He also points out the Mets could have really used Raul Ibanez’s bat too. You will get no argument from me on both fronts. Even lefty Randy Wolf, who is pitching well with the Dodgers, would have been a better signing then Perez last winter.

Another problem for the Mets is that they are a big market team in New York. They are expected to go out and sign the big free agent which they do and they are also expected to have one of the best farms in baseball. You must realize that when a team signs a type A free agent, they forfeit draft picks in the first round the following draft season. If the Mets kept their draft picks and built their farm more quickly, then everyone would complain they are too cheap to sign free agents. It’s hard to play both sides of this record.

As I mentioned the other day, the big fault with the Wilpons is their dedication to their employees. Normally I would consider that an attribute. But if they are not able to tell if their employees are doing the job or not, that’s a problem. The problem with the Mets currently is there are too many chefs. It does not seem clear that Omar is really in charge with all the allegations that Tony Bernazard has the Wilpons’ ear. That scares me because all reports indicate that Bernazard is a bit of a hot head with an attitude, even if the Binghamton story was blown out of proportion.

Ultimately, I think Omar is safe because he has a three year extension and I don’t think Fred and Jeff want to pay him to stay home. It’s unclear what the Mets will do in regards to Bernazard and Pena. I doubt they will lose their jobs though. The best we can hope is the Mets get healthy and make a run at the wild card this year. At least it will put all these side bar stories to rest for a while.

Unwatchable

Lou Di Falco — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:07:11 -0400

They are unwatchable. The season has become a disaster. I know it’s not right to use a word like disaster when there really are disasters in the world that affect people’s lives. But in terms of the world of baseball, that’s what the Mets are, a disaster.

And it’s not just one or a couple of facets, it’s everything. It’s the injuries, the players that are left, and the front office. In the past, when the Mets were bad, I would at least follow the minor league players and teams. But this season, they are bad too.

In light of the Tony Bernazard situation, it is clear that the hierarchy of the Mets is completely dysfunctional. They are not bad people. They just do not appear to know how to run a baseball team.

It’s hard to feel anything positive about these Mets right now. We can hide behind the injury card all we want but they should be better than this, even with so many players on the DL. The organization we root for is in such a shambles, the cry for “wait till next year” gives me no comfort.

One of the conditions that Omar Minaya wanted when he was hired was that of autonomy. He did not want to run the team by committee as was done when Jim Duquette was the GM. But the Bernazard flap and all that has been reported prove nothing much has changed in how the Mets are run.

It seems apparent that there are many players at all levels within the Mets who do not like Bernazard. Just recently Francisco Rodriguez and Bernazard got into a shouting match on the team bus in Atlanta. An anonymous veteran on the major league roster called Bernazard a cancer in the clubhouse. Bernazard chewed out an employee in front of the paying customers in the seats behind the plate at Citi Field. And of course there is the now famous ripping off the shirt incident in Binghamton.

What message does the Mets hierarchy send to the fan base, other Mets employees, and the players if Bernazard is not fired? How does this behavior get rewarded? It makes no sense. If the Mets do not fire Bernazard, they will continue to erode an already angry fan base.

Personally, I do not feel like devoting much time to this club through the midst of all this. How does that translate? It means I will not be buying tickets to a game any time soon, and will spend much less time watching on TV. There is only so much abuse a fan can take.

The one fact that I have read in many places really scares me. It has been written that owner Jeff Wilpon is very close with Bernazard. If that is the case, it is likely Bernazard will not be fired. In that regard, the message will be sent that truly the inmates are running the asylum.

I, as well as other Mets fans, will be watching closely. I have gotten to the point where I question my devotion to this club. Historically it has always been more losses than wins. I thought that would change when Minaya took over. It looked like it had until September of 2007. Now here we are again, watching a losing team wondering what will it take to right the ship. Frankly, I’m sick of it and I know I’m not alone.

Internal Strife

Lou Di Falco — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:45:32 -0400

One gets the impression that things within the Mets hierarchy are a bit unsettled. It is probably not much different than most typical corporate settings. But when it’s your baseball team you root for, where the entire season has completely unraveled, it becomes a bit frustrating to begin reading that things aren’t so rosy inside the Mets front office.

Who actually is in charge anyway? We assume Omar Minaya is in charge of baseball operations but is that true? We hear more and more about Tony Bernazard, vice president of player development, who at least on the surface, seems to wield unbridled power.

Bernazard apparently was influential in getting Willie Randolph fired. It has been rumored more recently that Bernazard may be laying groundwork to undermine Jerry Manual. It’s hard to know what the real story with this guy is but Adam Rubin reported an incident that happened at Citi Field a few weeks ago that makes you wonder if the inmates are in fact running the asylum.

In today’s Daily News, Rubin recounts an incident where Bernazard went ballistic in the stands behind home plate over a seating arrangement with some scouts. People sitting nearby were aghast, as Adam put it, at Bernazard’s behavior.

Yet anytime in the past when Tony Bernazard’s meddling has been questioned, everyone in the organization defends him. There is no hint of any animosity. Even when Randolph was fired, Willie did not threw Bernazard under the bus. I guess he didn’t want to burn any bridges or perhaps Willie really never was bothered by Bernazard.

No one can really blame the Mets for all the injuries that have occurred this season. But the communication between the medical department and players seems to be a bit screwed up. First a player is day to day then he’s on the DL or headed for surgery. I’m not saying that had players been diagnosed more accurately at the outset they would all be back now but the pattern with each injury is disturbing.

Jerry Manuel’s “joke”, in regards to Sheffield, was no accident when he said “Gary is day to day…surgery on Thursday”. Humor is often used to convey true feelings. Apparently, there were those in the Mets hierarchy who did not think it was so funny. But I did!

Then there is the case of Carlos Beltran who has been playing with a bruised knee for a month. He so distrusted the Mets medical staff, agent Scott Boris had him reexamined with specialists in Colorado.

How much more dysfunctional the Mets brain trust is over any other team is hard to measure. After all, if the injuries never occurred this season and the Mets were neck and neck with the Phillies, who would care about such stuff? But since these things did happen, it’s important to understand just what is going on in this organization.

It all starts at the top but no, I am not going to bash the Wilpons. I have read so many disparaging remarks against the father and son owners that it embarrasses me. In fact, I read one racist laden comment from a fan in the New York Post the other that made me sick. Referring to Minaya, Bernazard, and the Wilpons ethnicity in such a derogatory manner does not make Mets fans look very good folks. It only adds fuel to the fire that the Mets fan base is one of the worst in baseball.

The Wilpons want to win. They are not fiendish villains toiling their mustaches as Mets fans pay their way into Citi Field. They have invested 143 million dollars in player payroll. They have financed the majority of cost for the construction of Citi Field and have done much for the community they call home.

If the Wilpons have one fault, it is their loyalty. Unlike George Steinbrenner who would fire anybody and everybody given enough time, the Wilpons take entirely too long to correct things when there are internal problems.

Is Tony Bernazard really a cancer within the organization? I can’t say for sure, but many of the reports I have read over the last year and a half suggest he undermines managers and perhaps even the general manager. That kind of employee cannot be constructive and should have been dealt with long ago.

So although the Wilpons want to win, they may not know how to win. Steinbrenner was savvy in that he knew he wanted to win so bad, he got the best people he could find to run the show. And when they failed, they were gone. Part of George’s quick actions made him colorful, the other part made his people realize they had better perform or else.

The Mets are a different animal though. Ownership, be it the Paysons, Doubleday or Wilpon, did not and currently do not behave so spontaneously. And perhaps they shouldn’t. Maybe because of the ridiculous amount of injuries, we all need to give the Mets a mulligan this season. Sometimes you just have to say that “stuff” happens.

One thing is sure however, it should be an interesting off season.