As a member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance, I‘ve been asked to make my All-Star selections. The All-Star Game used to be a real big deal a long time ago but now unless it’s played in your city and you are involved in the FanFest and stuff like that, it’s a rather ho-hum three days with out Major League Baseball. I’ve always felt instead of an All Star Game, baseball should make it a 3 Day Festival of Baseball.

You could have a day of an Old Timers Day celebrations at all the ball parks, with each team honoring its history and players of the past by bringing as many former players in  for autograph and picture sessions with the fans. Another day could be a triple header of baseball where the organizations top three farm teams could compete in the big league ball parks. Here in NYC we could have Buffalo-Scranton/Wilkes Barre, Binghamton-Trenton, St. Lucie-Tampa play. Start the first game at 10AM and go from there. It would be a big baseball Block Party. On the third day bring the big league team for a Fan Appreciation Day to let the fans and players mingle together.

I’d much rather have a three day event like that than to see some superstar get one at bat, then climb in his limo for a ride to the airport to get out of town as fast as possible.

Oh well, here are my All-Star sections:

1^st base

NL Albert Pujols

AL Kevin Youkilis

2^nd base

NL Chase Utley

AL Robinson Cano

3^rd base

NL David Wight

AL Evan Longoria

SS

NL Hanley Ramirez

AL Marco Scutaro

LF

NL Ryan Braun

AL Josh Hamilton

CF

NL Angel Pagan

AL Torri Hunter

RF

NL Andre Eithier

AL Jose Bautista

C

NL Miguel Olivo

AL Joe Mauer

P

NL Ubaldo Jimenez

AL David Price

 

Intimidation is a major component in a sporting endeavor. The ability to get into your opponents head will make the difference between winning and losing when the physical aspect is so close, like it is in this World Series. The Highlanders have always liked to use this physiological warfare when dealing with an opponent. Whether it is the constant in stadium bombardment of how many championships they have won or trotting out old time players or prominent political hacks or just flaunting their monetary wealth, the Highlander are masters of head games. Sometimes is works, but sometimes it doesn’t and it looks likes this World Series is one of those times it doesn’t.

 

You think Cliff Lee is intimidated buy the Bronx Bastards or their palatial surroundings? Not in the least. When asked twice last night after his Game 1 gem first by Fox garden gnome, Ken Rosenthal, if he was nervous and then by Baseball Network’s Trenni Kusnierek, Lee just shrugged and said “What do I have to be nervous about” Lee went on to say that he prepared and did all his side work so he was ready to go and when you do your proper prep work what’s there to worry about? This was the same attitude that Josh Beckett had when his Marlins and Red Sox beat the Highlanders as well. Mystique and Aura, HA! My ass.

 

CC Sabathia did a good job last night but this biggest fault was falling behind in counts and the inability to throw strike one on a first pitch. Against Chase Utley he fell behind on his first pitch to the Philly second baseman 1-0 but came back to gain a 1-2 advantage as Utley just missed on two fastballs fouling them off. Utley then made Sabathia work by after getting the count even, Utley fouls off two more pitches and then CC misses for ball three and a full count to Utley. So now Utley has seen eight pitches in this at bat and the whole CC portfolio, now with two outs the last thing Sabathia wants is to walk Utley and bring up Ryan Howard with a man on. So CC tries to bust on inside on Utley but the pitches gets a little too much plate and Utley sends just barely over the right field wall for a 1-0 Philly lead. Sabathia pitched a terrific game but some times when you hook up against a guy who is tossing a classic, who have to be better than terrific.

 

If I’m Joe Girardi, I’d be very concerned about Phil Hughes. Hughes has been awful this October and the grumbling is he’s scared shit. Not a good rep to have and barking at home plate ump Gerry Davis doesn’t help his bad reputation either.

 

Speaking of Joey G, I’m done trying to figure out his bullpen moves. After the Phil Hughes melt down of walking Victorrino and Rollins, JG brought in Damaso Marte to go lefty-lefty with Utley and Howard. Now with Werth up JG goes with David Robinson who had nothing as he gave up a four pitch walk to Werth. Now you have the lefty Ibanez with in a bases loaded situation and the Highlanders down 2-0. The situation was calling for Phil Coke. But JG leaves in Robertson who gives up a two run single to Ibanez and 2-0 lead is now a 4-0 lead for Philly. That Ibanez AB was the turning point in the game as far as I’m concerned, the game was over at that point.

 

I’m fascinated by tonight’s match up of Petey and Pie Man. Petey is a Hall of Fame pitcher who like Cliff Lee will not be intimidated by the surroundings of this game. On the other hand, Pie Man has not shown the ability to step up his game in a big spot. You could say when it’s time to put up AJ Burnett is more cream puff than lemon meringue.

 

 

Have you watched any of the baseball post season? I have, especially the NL games and after last night I’ve come to the conclusion that the best thing the Mets could do this off season is not sign any big names free agents or make a block buster trade. I don’t know who the Mets can sign or trade for that would make that big an impact to make them a contender. Who is our Chase Utley? It’s not David Wright. Who is our Ryan Howard? Frenchy? He’s not even Jason Werth. You think I enjoy writing this? I’m ready to puke.

 

We have two players out 25 that have any championship timber, Johan Santana and Frankie Rodriquez.

 

Now I know you’re all saying “hey asshole, what about Wright, Beltran and Reyes” and I say, “Yeah what about them”? Beltran is right on the cusp of joining Santana and Rodriquez and maybe he bounces back in 2010 and puts up a Beltran kind of year. Or maybe this past injury was the beginning of the end. Reyes, even healthy we’re still waiting for that bust out year that may never come. In the mean time who would you rather have at short for the Mets, Hanley Ramirez, Troy Tulowitzki, Jimmy Rollins or Reyes? Shit at this point I’d take JJ Hardy.

 

Now to Wright. Look I love D-Wright, really I do and maybe I want him to become something he can’t be, a team leader. I don’t think Wright can be the guy because I don’t think he feels comfortable being the guy. He needs help, he needs the reincarnation of Cliff Floyd to bring out the best in him or could Jeff Francouer be “the guy” to bring out the leader in Wright. Wright needs a tag team partner the way Marty Jannetty needed Shawn Michaels , or Hawk needed Animal or vice versa. Whatever, Wright needs a confident and guy to lean on a guy to be his sounding board.

 

I’m probably talking out my ass about this as I could just be jealous of watching teams and fans whooping it up in October. I have the realization that my team is not making any major changes to its front office that has presided over two major collapses and a season where excuses were standard operating procedure rather being aggress and shipping out the corpses in baseball suits for young, hungry and baseball savvy players.

 

I’m reading some sites today asking who should the Mets go after Jason Bay or Matt Holliday? Are you kidding? Neither guy is a difference maker plus both will ask for long term deals at big bucks that will become albatross’ around the team’s financial neck. Instead of signing Bay or Holliday how about cutting Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez now that would be money better spent.

 

Wake up and smell the second division Mets fans, we are no where near a championship team or even a playoff team and if you think I’m full of shit just go back and watch the Jeffey, Omar, Manuel press conference from the Monday after the season ender and then tell me how confident you are.

 

First there was the kicking around of Cole Hamels and then Big Pelf getting his back up on Chase Utley demanding that he “get the fuck back in the box” this game had season changer written all over it but of course it turned as it can only turn for the NY Mets.

 

First Carlos Beltran, of all people, misplayed a fly where he should not have jumped up that cost the Mets a run and got Pelfrey relived of his pitching duties. Sean Green came in and he has quietly turned his season around but gave up a hit and a run. Then Carlos Ruiz hit a ball down to D-Wright who either got caught in between or tried to rush the throw home couldn’t find a handle and Ibanez scored to make it 4-3. Rollins then hit into a fielder choice and the game was now tied at 4. Green gave up one legit hit in the inning. Hang with ‘em Sean.

 

The Mets had tons of chances after that (and before that as well as the old left the runners hanging reared it’s ugly head again in this game) in the bot of 7^th  Daniel Murphy left the bags loaded, D-Wright left two on in the 8^th, Castillo left a couple on in the 9^th , but the killer was in the 10^th.

 

Fernando Martinez got a clutch 2 out base hit as a pinch hitter and then D-Wright came thisclose to making up for his error as he drove a ball to the opposite field and Jayson Werth  made a spectacular play that was a sink or swim catch, if Werth misses that ball, F-Mart scores the game winner and the headline today would be the gritty, gutsy Mets coming back after losing a three run lead and not giving up and closing to a game of first place but no instead we talking about RISP, did Big Pelf have another melt down, Wright’s error and the comeback by the Phillies. Talk about a game of inches.