Has there ever been two groups so closely aligned but such poplar opposites like Mets fans and Mets management? The one thing both groups have in common is they both root for the Mets to win (as inept as ownership is they want to win, they don’t have a clue as to how to accomplish that but they want to win) and that’s where the similarities end.

Mets fans are furious with the way this team has gone into the shitter on this past road trip. If your fans are going to stay up until 1AM then goddamnit we want a win. But with the anemic offense and the bumbling managerial tactics, this was one of the worst west cost trips ever for the Mets.

When the team left Flushing after losing four of six games to the Reds and Braves, we figured the All-Star break would be a good tonic for the club to recharge and get rested for the second half before the start of an 11 game West Coast road trip. I think we all felt if the Mets could go 6-5 on this trip that would be great. The road has been a house of horrors for the team all year but this would be a test for the team and a good trip would solidify the Mets as a true contender in the NL. Who knew that the 11 game trip would turn into Armageddon!  

So from optimism, we Mets fans have turned into an angry mob, something we’ve gotten very good at the last couple of seasons, and we want a body. Someone has to be sacrificed, but who?

There’s talk of Howard Johnson getting either fired or reassigned in the organization. HoJo is a Mets lifer but quite frankly firing HoJo is just window dressing. In fact firing any of the coaches makes no sense as it’s not coaches’ fault this team can’t hit. So that leaves the manager.

If any coach gets the boot, and Jerry Manuel gets to stay on then that is just an insult to Mets fans and a good reason for them to keep their credit cards in their pocket and to stay off Mets.com to but tickets. The news I would like to see today is Ken Oberkfell named as interim manager, then reassign HoJo to manage Buffalo and leave the rest of the staff intact.

After the season, then it will be time for an organization wide colonic. Reassign Omar Minaya to head of scouting, in fact give his a fancy title like Czar of Player Development and Scouting and make it like it’s a real important high fluent position that will shape the feature of the franchise and then go out find a GM who is not locked in the dark ages. A guy who understands that statistical analysis is a must for success but can also meld that in with good old fashion boots on the ground scouting.    

Seems to me, Bobby Valentine is kind of forcing the Mets hand to make some sort of move by throwing his hat in the ring to succeed Lou Pinella in Chicago.  Most Mets fans are split between Bobby V and Wally Backman as to who they’d like see manage the Mets and with BV open politicking for the Cubs job he’s let it be known he’s more than ready for a high profile managing position.

When you compare the Mets up the middle versus the Red Sox up the middle the only position the Mets lose out on is second base. Even with a healthy Mike Cameron would you take him over Angel Pagan? Forget a healthy Beltran (I won’t link to the Munchkin’s story but he thinks that the Beltran contract is bad for the Mets, this from a guy who has been mailing it in for the past ten years, who stopped attending the events he writes about, and treats his colleagues like shit. If anything Mike Lupica has been stealing from Mort Zuckerman for years ) and the catchers spot, Theo would be beaming if he had the tandem of Barajas/Blanco behind the plate.

With all the fun and frolic over the last week or so of Mets baseball, when was the last time we saw a Braves team this bad? Maybe back when Ted Turner started they games on TBS at 7:35PM ? I have never seen a Bobby Cox team play so badly, I ain’t complaining, just a bit taken back.

I agree with Christopher Guy of Mets Minor League Blog, it’s time to bring up Dillon Gee and let him start over John Maine.  Not only is Maine hurting physically but these interviews with him are painful to watch, the guy is a mess physically and emotionally . Put him on the 15 day DL and send him to St Lonesome to get his game and head in order and as for the spot on the 40 man roster for Gee, I think it safe to say the Mets can put Kelvin Escobar on the 60 day DL to free up a spot.

I am really starting to worry about David Wright. Forget the home runs he’s not hitting doubles either and the one thing he was doing, getting on base via walks, has dried up as well.  Maybe it time to move him to the 2 hole with Castillo leading off (if the Reyes in the 3^rd spot continues) some kind of shake up with Wright is needed as a lot of Mets fan are starting to feel he’s not the go to guy on this team anymore.

Mets management should do everyone a favor and call tonight’s game now. Not only is raining but it’s cold and the forecast for tonight is for rain and 50 degrees. Folks have to go to work and school tomorrow and if it was a comfortable night you wouldn’t mind but to be cold and wet, I don’t think so. So if you do play the game tonight, be prepared for the national audience to see 25,000 or so empty seats at $iti Field.

 

 

After yesterday’s ass whipping by the Braves a game where another player went down with a leg muscle strain and a player who allegedly is getting released by today pitched like his usual shitty self the thought came over me as maybe the Mets should get involved in a reverse pennant race, the race for the top pick in the 2010 Entry Draft.

 

Right now the Nationals again lead the way for the first overall pick in the next draft with a 26-65 record and lead the Mets by 17 games for that pick. Unless the Mets assign the rest of the big league team on the DL (not a bad idea, eh?) and bring up the whole Buffalo Bisons team then the Mets have no shot at beating DC for the top pick. The next team in line would be the Cleveland Indians who at 36-57 lead the Mets by a mere 8 games. Now passing the Indians could be done with the help of keeping Tim Redding not only on the team but putting him in the rotation and giving D-Wright the rest of the summer off and pitching Ollie Perez on two days rest.

 

Say this happened, no not Wright’s vacation or Redding and Perez every other day but say the Mets tank to the point of finishing with the second worst record in baseball, they would have a shot at drafting Bryce Harper.

 

You’ve all read about Bryce Harper, who has been hailed as the next great thing since the birth of Jesus. Harper just 16 years old will skip his junior and senior years of high school by obtaining a GED and enrolling in Junior College with the sole purpose of being drafted number 1 in the next draft. Now where this gets interesting is if the Nationals have that pick would they draft Harper who will probably ask for part of the franchise to sign after dealing with Scott Boras in their dealing with Stephen Strasburg? Can the Nationals shell out big bucks for two potential super start players? Would Freddy Skill Sets call in his marker with the Used Car Salesman to rig the draft so the Mets could get their hands on Harper? Am I drunk? Oh sorry no,  but when your team is 10 games off the pace and players are dropping to wayside every game the only thing to hang your hat on is securing a top 10 draft pick. Sad isn’t it?

 

The All Star break is over and we head for the second half of the season tonight on Pro Baseball Central we will discuss the Mets disappointing first half and what direction this team needs to take which  is one of the great complex question of our time, plus we will monitor the Mets-Braves game live. We will also talk about the NY Highlanders with our guest Rebecca Glass the author of the Highlander blog This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes. Join us live at 9PM EDST on Blog Talk Radio live or listen to the podcast at your leisure at our site or right here at TEKS.

 

After The Used Car Salesman ranted and raved about Manny Ramirez going to the bushes to get in shape before ending his 50 game sentence the Phillies after signing Petey to a $1.5 mil deal was placed on the 15 day DL with a “strained (wink-wink, nod-nod) shoulder. This was done because Petey wouldn’t sign a minor league deal so the Phills skirted the issue with the bogus DL placement. Am I a bitter jilted Mets fan? YES. Yes I am. I’m not rational when it comes with Petey going to the Cheesesteakers I’m the jilted lover who will now try to make his life miserable.

Can we just put Carlos Delgado on the DL already? what are the Mets waiting for? They’ve played three games now with a short bench, Delgado’s hip is still sore and won’t get better without rest. Please let’s not make him fly cross country and then DL him.

Great not only are the Mets wearing there miserable black unit tops but the Braves have decided to wear their Midnight Blue tops. Fucking stupid!

I guess Jose Reyes admitting that me made an awful base running blunder last night is progress.

Can’t kill J-Man on taking Big Pelf out in the 7th. He was in a zone and pitching great but the Mets have to be careful of over using him.

I don’t know what is higher on the douchebag meter the streaker or the asshole taking the video screaming “that’s my boy, that’s my boy” I will say nothing is as funny as over weight security guards risking a heart attack chasing a guy on the field

 

These are just some of the questions I hope to answer along with your help so tune in and join in by calling our call in line (646) 595-4462 on Blog Talk Radio at 9PM EST tonight.

 

The top starlet on the list is Derek Lowe who won’t settle for the 3yr/$36 mil initial offer from the Mets but a face saving 3yr/$42 mil with a vesting option on a 4^th year could make for a deal as it seems the propaganda out of the Lowe/Boras camp of suitors lining up is pure hearsay.

(UPDATE: Lowe will now meet with the Braves as they look to fill the void left by Smoltz shipping off to Boston. Now the off season is heating up GIDDY UP!!!!) 

 

Could there be a way for the Mets to sign both Lowe and OP? I’m not even going in the Manny direction as it looks like that won’t happen but is there a way that Omar could squeeze a few more million out of the Skill Sets to make arguably the best starting rotation in baseball?

 

Talk about out of nowhere? John Smoltz to the Red Sox?

 

Dear Joe Girardi,

    

                          Please excuse my husband Mark for being absent for last nights game. He did not finish his chores at home and had to be punished. Hopefully Mark learned his lesson and will make sure there are no dishes left in the sink over night and use coupons when I send him to the Stop and Shop.

 

                       I know the team really needs Mark, put as you know sometimes you just have to put your foot down. I’m sure you understand my predicament.

 

                                                                         Sincerely,

                                                                         Leigh Teixeira

 

“YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!! NOT BATTING FOR PETE ABRAHAM, MIKE SILVA!

 

“WHO LET THE DOGS OUT”- Seems a stray dog from the junk yards of Willets Point ran a muck over $iti Field yesterday and was captured by construction workers and animal control officers. When questioned the dog stated she was just looking for the season ticket office as she wanted to buy 4 seats in the Sterling Section. Jeffey loves his Bitches!

 

Don’t forget to set you alarm for 9PM tonight and join myself and Joe McDonald for our first Pro Baseball Central of the new year on Blog Talk Radio. We want you to join in on the show so call in at (646) 595-4462 

 

 

 A-I-D-A. Get out there - you got the prospects coming in. You think they came in to get out of the rain? A guy don’t walk on the lot lest he wants to buy. They’re sitting out there waiting to give you their money. Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it?} 

Blake from Glengarry Glennross.

You could change the name to Omar from the NY Mets as it pertains to the Derek Lowe/Scott Borras negotiations.  So it seems that Lowe/Borras are not very happy with the 3yr/$36mil contract the Mets have offered but to me it’s more years and more money that anyone else has put on the table. In fact Lowe has stated he wants AJ Burnett money but the problem with that the only team offering stupid money is the Highlanders and they don’t seem to want Lowe or maybe they do but not at the stupid money price of $16mil per.

According to Boras, the Phillies and Braves are in the running for Lowe’ services. If the Mets played in the AL East Boras would tell us the Highlanders and Red Sox were serious bidders. If the Mets played in the Middle East Baseball League, Borras would tell us the Israeli’s and the Palestinians are serious bidders.

Oh of course there is the “Mystery Team” that may be the Milwaukee Brewers but of all those teams mentioned only the Mets have made an offer. So my question to Scott Boras is “Where are the fucking leads”?

If any team wants to give Lowe  4yr/$64mil go right ahead and as much as I wanted Lowe on the Mets there is no way in hell I’d give him that deal. In fact if I’m the Mets GM I say here is 3yr/$42mil then I’d flip over a three minute egg timer and tell Lowe/Borras that when that timer goes off so does my offer.

Derek Lowe wants $16mil a year for four years and I want to brush my hair out of my eyes. Neither one is happening.