I then came home to see my neighbor-two doors down-tree uprooted and about twenty of my roof shingles strewn in my yard and driveway.   So I spent the majority of the night watching the tree in my backyard sway back and forth while our trampoline was swooped up from the front of the yard and transported to the back of the yard. While that was occurring the basketball hoop that is connected to a metal pole that has a base of sand and bricks to hold it down, topple over. Oh yeah then the gutter on my garage came off and landed in the yard of the house in back of me. I tried to settle down for the night but the constant sirens from fire engines and ambulances touring the neighborhood kept me awake. When I finally did get to sleep, I woke up at 9AM but then remembered it was really 10AM Eastern Daylight Savings Time.  So while I was relieved that my house was still on the same lot it was built on about 100 years ago and that my basement was not an aquarium I thought I’d just relax for the morning. But wait, what’s today? March 14^th OH SHIT!!! I have to go scout 14-15 year old baseball players at New Dorp High School for my Babe Ruth team. I get dressed and out the door but every other block was closed off with trees deposited in the middle of the streets. A five minute ride took twenty five minutes. If I get to draft this one kid I saw-14 years old about 6’2” hard thrower and soft hands-the trek will have been worth it.

Other than that a pretty quiet weekend, how about you?

It becomes somewhat astonishing how many times do the GM and Manager of the Mets open their mouths, they cause Mets fans angst. The latest is from J-Man, about stud pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia being in contention for the 8^th inning set up job. It’s not so much that Manuel said this  (I would hope that this years Manuel Night at The Improv a/k/a post game presser on SNY will be sponsored by Account Temps) it’s that Omar Minaya didn’t call bullshit on this ridiculous way of thinking.  From all accounts Mejia is a sold pitcher who projects to a top of the rotation arm; all he needs is to mature both as a pitcher and as a young adult being that he is just 20 years old.  One never knows if J-Man is serious or he just likes fucking with us Mets fans.

“But doctor you were supposed to remove my appendix but you took out a kidney instead” and the doctor said “Hey, nobody’s perfect”

I stop into a bodega in Alphabet City last night to get a little Cintron and rum, seems like the Mets like a little Cintron too.

Freddy Skill Sets: Hello Sand-a-la !

Sandy Koufax: Hello Fred, what’s up?

FSK: It’s that time a year again! So when am I going to see my favorite high school buddy this spring?

SK: Fred, last time we were in high school the guy the school was named after was still alive (Lafayette) what do you want from me?

FSK:   you know what I need from you, come down for the day Judy will make a nice brisket, you, me, Saul, and David will play a little Mah Jong , Jeffey will make us those nice drinks we like with the paper umbrellas in them and we can make jokes about Jay Horowitz’ big noggin’

SK: HA-HA-HA you know making fun of Horowitz never gets old HA-HA-HA-HA

FSK: See, what a time eh? Oh and one other thing ……….. 

SK: Yeah, yeah I know talk to your pitchers……..every year Fred, every year you want me to talk to these guys especially that Perez character. You know who he reminds me of Freddy? Remember that kid in the 5^th grade Herbie Lipschitz who ate the Elmer’s Glue and had Tourettes?

FSK: OOOOoooooooooohhhhh my God yes HA-HA-HA hooooooooo Sandy you know my bladder ain’t what it used to be, don’t make me pee my pants….HA-HA-HA-HA  I know Ollie is a bit meshugana  but he’s got a live arm so what do you say? You coming down or what?

SK: hey for you Freddy, sure why not.

FSK: you’re a mench Sand-a-la, a real mench !

SK: by the way how is that statue of me coming along? I think right outside the Rotunda will be a nice spot for it.

FSK: We’ll talk Sand-a-la, We’ll talk………..

We may not have won the league title but everyone from the umpires to the coaches and players to the parents hold my kids in high regard and that’s more than enough for me.

I don’t even want to dwell on the rest of the Tony B news or the way the Mets handled the Sheffield DL fiasco I’m in too good a mood for Mets negativity. The sun is shining and it’s warm out so I’m going to play Wiffle play in my yard with my kids. Baseball like it ought to be!!!!

40 years ago today I was sitting in my living room with my parents waiting for the event of a lifetime, man walking on the moon. I was 11 years old and from what I can remember, the lunar module landed in the late afternoon but Neil Armstrong didn’t step on the moon surface until night time (10 PM ) I do remember my father waking me up to see this as I fell asleep on the couch as he didn’t want me to miss this unbelievable piece of history. No one could believe what they were seeing and the thing a lot of people feared was the astronauts getting stranded on the moon. In fact President Nixon had a speech already to address this if it happened.

I’m really sad to hear of the passing of Frank McCourt whose life story laid out in Angela’s Ashes is just one of greatest books ever written. I had the pleasure of meeting Frank and Malachy McCourt as they did their show ”A Couple of Blaguards” and it was a thrill and privilege to meet him and I’m honored to be known as a “blaguard” myslef .

Trying hard to put up a post today as I replay a tough loss over and over in my mind, no not the All Star Game, I gave up on that at 10PM when RESCUE ME came on, no I’m talking about my Babe Ruth team losing 8-0 to the top seed last night.

Don’t let the score fool you it was a closer game than that. We had one bad inning (the 3^rd) letting in 4 runs on a couple of errors and a some solid base hits. But the biggest obstacle was the pitcher we were facing a 13 year old with a big time yellow hammer that buckled my guys knees. We could only muster two hits on the night and three base runners total (my son accounting for two of the base runners with a walk, reaching first on a strike out/passed ball and two stolen bases) and now we face an elimination game on Sunday. Not much to say to the kids but “Hang with ‘em.

After the game we went home to watch the All Star Game and the first thing my son told me was “Dad, let’s get all the when I was a kid stuff out early so we can just watch the game” I guess like how the All Star Game was played during the day and how the two leagues played the game like it was a World Series game and how the NL had all the stars and always won and because of that the AL couldn’t draw fans so they sullied the sport with the DH, and how I miss Curt Gowdy calling the big games and that’s when I get the hand and “that’s enough old timer” and I quiet down.

I was listening to Joe (Bada Bing Bada Boom) Beningno and Evan Roberts yesterday and I agree with Joe that there is so much baseball available for us to watch that the All Star Game is no big deal, as it used to be a chance for fans to see players they never get to see much but with the Extra Innings package and ESPN and MLB Network and Mets and Highlander games on every night there isn’t a team or a player I haven’t seen add in that there is no more rivalry between the NL and AL with so much player movement and the fact that both leagues are not run as separate entities (remember when there were League Presidents ?) That has made the All Star Game hum drum.

Admit it you were hoping that President Obama would have brought Artie Lang with him to the game to hang with Doofus Joe Buck. Now that would have been riveting TV.

What’s the big deal about Johan Santana pitching in the All Star Game? I know he threw 114 pitches on Saturday but com’on if he gets in the game he’ll only toss one inning anyway which is maybe 17-20 pitches tops. Nolan Ryan shakes his head in disgust.

I’m piss at Petey for the fact that he is signing with the Phillies. If he signed any place else even the South Bronx I would be as pissed. I defend Petey here as I’ve been a fan since his Expo days and looked at his signing as a big jump in creditability. Petey for the most part never lived up to his contract with the Mets but was always received like a King by the fans. But the Phillies?  Petey you disgust me!!!!!

So the question is, have we seen the best of A-Rod? Welcome to the post PED Baseball Era. This is why sure I’d love Roy Halliday on my team but I’m not giving him a new contract and Halliday is last player the Mets need. Your seeing the shift already with younger, faster players taking center stage in baseball hopefully Omar takes notice.

“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea”……….. Maybe Spongebob Square Pants could buy the Mets?

The Mets Police has a clip from NEWSDAY on the Mets making adjustment to $iti Field like a video board in RF, more Mets-centric memorabilia throughout the park and getting the thumbs up from MLB to show the game live on the video scream to help those with obstructed views. Now if they can find a way to mange the line at the Shake Shack where you don’t have to get into a fist fight when some asshole tries to cut the line I’ll be happy.

I watched the Home Run Derby last night and here are some thoughts that ran through my head:

• It’s too bad Michael Jackson is dead as he could have put the Home Run Derby on a continuous loop to help him with his sleeping problems. In fact next year I’m going to take drugs before watching the HRD again

• Can someone get Erin Andrews a meal? Christ, she is so gaunt she could star in her own After School Special. I don’t get the fascination with Andrews, I can walk out right now on West Broadway and find 20 women way hotter than her, guys who need to put on pants and get out of Moms basement.
• I had this awful nightmare, Steve Phillips, Joe Morgan, and Chris Berman were announcing the Home Run Derby, then Doofus Joe Buck showed up and all the did was talk about Doofus Joe’s dead father. Then Berman kept using these tired old nicknames and calls and he was sitting in this huge container that was collecting the cascade of sweat that was pouring off him that was used like generated the electricity back to Bristol. Then Joe Morgan started speaking in tongues and all kinds of snakes and serpents were flying out of his ears, and Steve Phillips was having sex with a midget who was toweling off Albert Pujols. WHOA that was scary…….what that wasn’t a dream? It was real? AGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

The only baseball I watched last night was my Babe Ruth team back in action after three straight rain outs and the boys had some rust on them in this game. Too many graduation parties, school dances and time off to text, play video games and just get a bit lazy. All this rain (it is pouring as I type this and I’m trying to explain to a newly hired inspector that part of his initiation is to go get a veteran like myself his lunch when it’s raining)  not only has me looking at 5 games to make up but I haven’t got them out to practice either and it bit us last night as my  archenemies, walks and errors came back to haunt us, and was the prime reason we dropped a 13-4 decision to a team coached by a guy I can’t stand, umpired by a real dick head and played at a facility that is a shit hole. So how was your evening?

Looking at the box score and reading the game story it seems Tim Redding was well, Tim Redding , back to his sucky self.

 I was surprised that J-Man brought in Bobby Parnell in the 6^th after he was ordained the set up man. 

J-Man can you please play Daniel Murphy play every day at first base? How is that Fernando Martinez who is clearly a not ready for prime time player but gets to play every day and Murphy who was all the rage coming into the season gets buried like he was Ryan Church’ twin brother?

Today is Dave Schneck’s birthday. Who is Dave Schneck? Schneck played outfield for the Mets back in the early to mid 70’s. He showed some excellent power in the minors but it never came together for him in the bigs. His claim to fame is batting clean up in his first major league game sandwiched between Willie Mays and Rusty Staub. But Schnecks greatest contribution was to the country as he severed in combat in Viet Nam. Happy and Healthy birthday to Dave Schneck.

The best part of this video from The Mets Police is the music. If I were the closer for the Mets this would be my entrance music.

No need for Omar to make a panic trade for as long as the Phillies continue to suck at home and now with Raul Ibanez out for 15 days due to a groin strain the Fucks From Filly are not going to get a big lead and 3 games out in June is nothing for Mets fans to get their balls in an uproar over.

If I’m Jose Reyes I’d be trying to get back as soon as I could because the “As Jose goes, so goes the Mets” is starting to become an urban myth. If I could only have one guy back from the long line of causalities on the DL it would be Carlos Delgado as his power and run producing has been the missing ingredient while Alex Cora has played a stellar short stop and his been getting on base at a better rate that Reyes.

I could never tell which one was Mlli and who Vanilli

Dave Singer does it again with a great clip of Jonathan Papelpon going ape shit over D-Wright’ throw from closer to left field than third base to Luis Castillo with the big ssstttrrreeeccchhhh for a force of Youkilis.

O-MIR SAN-TOS,…. O-MIR SAN-TOS,…. O-MIR SAN-TOS….Good luck getting your job back Brian Schneider. This will be on to watch as no way J-Man wants Santos going to Buffalo and with all the injuries the team has suffered look for three catchers on the 25 man roster. If I’m Jeremy Reed I’m a little nervous right now.

Another strong start by Big Pelf as that ERA drops again after every start. Good job by the sports shrink he visited as well as he was yip free last night.

Man I thought I was a Highlander Hater but Gary Cohen has us all beat

My Babe Ruth League team won for just the second time this season as my top pitcher K’d 10 and we played flawless defense. Maybe the message will finally get through to them throw strikes, limit walks and play solid D wins games. Right Jerry?

I’m off to Englishtown Flea Market today with my radio and headphones to listen to the game. We need this trip because you can almost see there is this spot in my garage that is vacant so I need some crap to fill it. Never have enough crap. Plus I’m looking for another catchers mask and a first baseman’s glove.

John Maine could use a bit of that determination himself after imploding in the 3^rd inning last night. You knew as soon as Maine threw for straight balls to Henry Blanco and then you get ahead of the 8^th batter in the lineup (Everth Cabrera) and you don’t finish him off? Basic god damn baseball, there is a reason those guys bat 7^th and 8^th go after them no bullshit get them out. UGHHHHHHHHHH!

If I’m J-Man I start Shrek at catcher for the next three games. He might pass out from the work load but right now he is a better choice both as a receiver and a hitter than Brian Schneider. I not saying Schneider is not banged up but I think it’s more J-Man is starting to loose faith in him.

The Skill Sets can not be happy with the amount of empty seats in the Stuffed Shirt Circle Jerk behind home plate. But it’s not just at $iti Field either. Every non-Mets game I watch on MLB Extra Innings is the same story, the upper reaches of the ball parks are full and the Aristocrats are MIA.

But when the SNY cameras show the outfield stands, it looks like LaGuardia on the day before Thanksgiving.

With all the hand wringing about the economy and being priced out of sporting events the WWE had an outstanding weekend with its 25 Anniversary of Wrestle Mania (I’m proud to say I went to the Inaugural event at MSG I know it’s not a “real sport” but the sound of The Garden that day, it was Palm Sunday 1984, was Game 7 Stanley Cup Finals loud) Check out this story in today’s Daily News with the facts and figures showing Vince McMahon is a marketing genius.

The lack of Mets history at $iti Field has the war drums pounding as is what seems to be a majority of Mets fans wanting the team to go with Pinstripes at home and Grays on the road with the solid blue hat at all times. I’m totally on board with this and if the Skill Sets had any kind of clue they would be too.  

In honor of Willie Randolph’s return to Flushing tonight we have this little musical interlude.     

The opening was very nice I hear (I Tivo’d the pre game and I’ll watch it tonight as I ran a practice for my Babe Ruth League team last night that I wanted to do an hour and lasted two hours instead ) as The Franchise and Mike Piazza staged a sequel to the closing of Shea with the first pitch at $iti. At least The Franchise stayed for the game as Piazza I guess scared of having to answer any questions about PED’s took a powder after the ceremony. Should have brought Jerry Grote in instead, he never ducked anything.

You know what’s missing from $iti Field? Signage  Not enough advertising signs <eye’s rolling>

Okay yes I get it the food is wonderful at the new ballpark. The team can’t catch and has pitching question marks and clutch hitting is still a foreign substance but the food is really good <both eyes rolling> Maybe the team will perform as good as the Shake Shack or Box Frites some day.

I guess Big Pelf couldn’t build off his last start where he started like shit but finished strong. I wasn’t concerned until I heard J-Man on the post game saying he was concerned about Big Pelf so now I’m concerned and I guess you should be too.

Like a lot of Mets bloggers I was a Heath Bell fan and thought the Mets handled him badly but you know what Heath? Time to shut the fuck up! You too Duaner, especially you Duaner. If you put half the energy into to training that you do in running your mouth you might still be here. Sanchez has questioned why he had to prove himself in spring training as he is clueless that he never stepped up when counted on last year. Enjoy San Diego fellas’ and the dog days of August when you’re in last place.

I know with the novelty of the new stadium (I’m going Saturday and I’m leaving my scorebook home as I know I’ll be spending more time out of my seat than in it) and everyone is milling about but the site of ass-less seats behind home plate can not make the Skill Sets happy.

I love the cat running on the field last night. I didn’t get a good look at the fleet feline until this morning when I picked up the Daily News and I did a double take as the cat looks just like one of our cats (Sandy) I have to frame that back cover.

I hope Omar read the game summary of the Dodgers-Giants game last night.