Jason Fry has a great post on the events of last night game in D.C. and the fact as Mets fans we are on the edge of our seats when the Mets have a late inning lead. Part of it is our paranoia over the bullpen but the bulk of our fear is the way Jerry Manuel misuses his relief core. I also find it hysterical that some of the comments on that post are chastising fans for calling our the managerial flaws of Jerry Manuel with the simplistic refrain old “hey the team is winning he must be doing something right”  but the don’t list what those “right things”. Folks the Mets are winning in spite of Manuel, it helps that D-Wright has found his game elite game and Angel Pagan has matured and that Big Pelf, Jon Niese, Ike Davis and even Ruben Tejada have mature and given this team the shot of young blood we have been craving.

By the way Manuel should be fired for even thinking of replacing Ruben Tejada at second base with Luis Castillo when Castillo comes back. Even I don’t think Manuel believes that but it’s more like another of “Jerry’s Games” to force the front office to make a move, like he did with Ollie P and John Maine, remember he is a Gangsta’

Believe it or not the Washington Nationals are on the verge of signing El Duque. I guess Luis Tiant ask for too much money.

The first primary is complete and Howard Megdal received 65 % approval vote at Amazin’ Avenue and 68 % approval at NY Baseball Digest. Proving that Met want what Howard has pledged to deliver LOGIC, TRANSPARENSY, and PASSION .  Next weeks primary is set and your voting places are at the AabFab Metsgrrl site and at Mets Minor League Blog. It’s your constitutional duty as a Mets fan to vote and remember id Howard were the Mets GM today, Ruben Tejada would play every day and Oliver Perez would be his baseball Ambassador to Mexico.

I have no baseball games this weekend so I am watching this great Germany-Argentina World Cup match then Mets-Strasburg then off to Lend Me A Tenor on Broadway. Life is Good.

I hate when my goof off time gets interrupted but this weekend it’s worth it as I had two baseball games (both wins!!!) a graduation party and now today my daughter’s dance recital so blogging is taking a back seat today.

I have two hours to relax and watch  the Mets today and an added treat, Ralph Kiner is in the telecast.

So taking a break today and I’ll be back in action tomorrow with some good stuff I promise.

Don’t forget to check out my This Call To The Bullpen Shop for This Call To The Bullpen t-shirts, caps, mugs etc.

 The Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox hooked up last night in a game that if it were a post season game would be an instant classic. King Felix Hernandez and Mark Buehrle worked fast, threw strikes and neither one gave an inch. King Felix was helped out by great defensive plays by Adrian Beltre and Ichiro and Buehrle had impeccable command, The game went 14 innings until Junior Griffey drove in the game winner with a single to right to give the M’s a 1-0 win.

 

So Carlos Delgado has pulled an oblique muscle as he tries to come back from hip surgery. Only the NY Mets could get a guy hurt rehabbing from an injury. Nah, nothing wrong with the team training staff <eyes pointed up to the sky>

 

I watched part of Petey’s return and it gave me a big YAWN!!!! I watched the Philly telecast and Tom McCarthy nearly pissed his pants going wild over Petey hitting 91 on the gun. He looked hittable and I’d bet by his third start he’ll get his tits lit.

 

By the way Mike Silva has video of the Shane Victordouchebag getting a beer bath from some fat slob in the Wrigley bleachers. Phillies fans are outraged by the Cub fans gross behavior. That’s like Hugh Hefner calling Dennis Hoff a pimp.

 

The Mets have decided to wear throwback uni’s this weekend but they will not not be “Mets Throwbacks” but more like the uniform worn by the 1905 World Champion New York Giants. The difference though will be a Mr. Met patch on the sleeve and the sleeve cuffs will be blue and orange. Next season the Skill Sets have planned to rename the team the Bridegrooms.

 

Check out Pro Baseball Central tonight at 9PM EDST as Joe McDonald and I talk about the mess that is the NY Mets and what the future of the franchise looks like you can join the conversation as well at (646) 595-4462. If you can’t join us live you can listen on the podcast right here at TEKS or on our Pro Baseball Central site.  

 

More than Beltran, or Delgado or anyone of the dozen players on the DL The player who is missed the most is Jose Reyes, not just for his bat and glove but for his energy. Love him or hate him you can not deney this lifeless bunch of Mets could use a does of Jose-Jose-Jose.

 

 

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 .

 

 

Yeah I took the day off yesterday. So I sat in my back yard and took apart a playhouse and a slide that my kids have had since they were babies and I fired up the Webber Kettle and listened to Howie and Wayne and chilled. Maybe it was riding to Manhattan on the 7 train after a game a few weeks ago and listening to Wayne Hagin tell his stories of his days with the Oakland A’s and realizing that Hagin is a really nice guy that he is growing on me as the Mets radio guy. Yes Hagin rides the subway to work just like the rest of us slobs.

 

The cause of the stomach virus going around the Mets clubhouse has been linked to watching Tim Redding pitch. I have to think Omar is at least pondering the signing of Pedro Martinez to take Redding spot in the rotation. If Redding can’t pitch effectively his next start it’s time to cut bait.

 

What a May to remember 19-9 with a depleted roster. Just goes to show you if you can pitch, play defense and keep the brain farts to a minimum you will win baseball games.

 

I can’t figure out J J Putz. Is he physically unfit or is his head a mess? Old School Dan Werthen feels it’s just a mechanical breakdown but Omir Bench thought Putz was anxious on the mound. Between Putz and Sean Green, J-Man may have to put an extension on his Dog House although there is one spot open with Shrek sent off to Chitown.

 

I think there is better chance of Bruce Berenyi coming back to pitch for the Mets this season than Ollie Perez.

 

Cliff Floyd has just been activated from the DL by the Padres. I know he’s hurt so much his car has handicap plates but how about brining him back to the Mets and letting spell Sheffield in left and some added leadership?

 

 I don’t know what looked worse the Mets playing in the classic pinstripe uni and ruining it with that disgusting black and blue hat or Susan Boyle in a evening gown?

 

I don’t know what bad or evil thing Angle Pagan has done in his life but I think he’s paid the price already.

 

King of the Asshats, Filip Bondy has a piece on Jay Horowitz in today’s Daily News. From what you hear, Horowitz is loved by the Mets players as he protected them from the big bad media but after reading the story I find Horowitz a sad soul.

 

If 90 % of your paying customers were upset with something with your product, you’d  make a change right away, right? Then why does management continue to play Sweet Caroline when Mets fans HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

When I go to any sporting event I get there hours before the start as I love watching warm ups. There is nothing better than watching batting practice. My family can’t understand this how I can sit in ballpark and watch guys hit a baseball and field fly balls. There are still the few die hards that line up at ball parks and arenas like me for the gates to open but I think these days it’s becoming a lost art.

 

My wife was stunned this past winter when I turned down tickets to see the New York Football Giants play the Iggles at the Medowlands. I turned it down because I weighed the pros and cons and the cons won. The pros were a day with friends, watching my favorite football team in person, getting a better idea of various formations on offense and defense and having a general good time. The cons, it’s cold, too much down time with game stoppage and TV timeouts, and sitting in insufferable traffic. Then when you add in at home you have your own HDTV, no lines for the bathroom, attendants (children) and a big comfy chair when you think about it you have be nuts to go to the game.

 

I bring this up because I saw to day that STUBHUB has a ton of tickets on it’s site for the exhibition games this weekend between the Mets and Red Sox. The strange thing is these games SOLD OUT in 45 minutes or so we were told. It looks like the bulk of the tickets went to the secondary market, you know the new business that used to be called scalpers.

 

It will be a trend to watch this season with both the Mets and Highlanders to see if fans after their first trip to the new ballparks get that “been there, done that feeling” and pass up paying big money to go to a game to spend big money.

 

When you think about it for what you pay for tickets to a game plus food, souviners and other incidentals (it’s always those damn incidentals that will get you) and gas and tolls is it worth it? With the state of the economy, if you are fortunate enough to have discretionary funds put aside do you spend it on a day at the old ball game or a weekend at the shore?