At this point in the Mets season, my mood has gone from outrage to amusement. The outrage was over the start of the second half of the season when the team decided it was time to pack it in, the amusement is listening to players and the GM tried to tell us the team is still in contention. ROFLMYFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Listening to Omar Minaya discuss the Mets, is like hearing a child try to explain why filling the bathtub with water and Jell-O was a good idea. You’re so pissed off at them as you survey the situation but the more they try to explain themselves and try to wriggle out of bad situation, it starts to become comical.

Omar is trying very very hard to convince the fan base that this team is still in contention when we all know this team talks tough but when it comes down to fighting for a post season spot, they are a collection of conscientious objectors. As much as I’m a fan of D-Wright just once I’d like to hear him say in his after a loss post game statement, that the team needs to get some players who are mentally tough. Who is he worried about pissing off? The manager is clueless and the GM insults our intelligence and the owner is scare shit to be seen in public. Please can someone just say the truth in that clubhouse? Is it that hard to say it? The truth will set your sorry ass’s free.

I bet if Omar came out and said “All this mess is on me. I miscalculated on a lot of the personnel here and I gave out contracts that will haunt me and the organization. I’ve learn a valuable lesson about over paying players and with the help of my front office staff, we are ready to regroup and re-invent they way personnel moves are made with this team”  If he would make a statement like that, I bet talks of fan boycotts would go away. In fact if he made a statement like that and was retained by ownership for another year, the out cry for his head, would die down a bit. But if he keeps going with this tired comedy act of his then he needs to be shown the door. 

I think it has finally sunk into Luis Castillo’ head that he has no future here in Queens. I do feel for the guy for at least he puts up a fight to get in the lineup and has some pride unlike the miserable fuck, Oliver Perez, who is no different from Bernie Madoff as first class scam artist.

See if the organization had the brains and passion of Taryn Cooper Mets fans would never complain again (SHOCKING!!! I know) last night she organized the Citi Field Sit Out where fans were asked to NOT attend last night game. Coop herself made the sacrifice of not using her tickets or putting them up for sale. The protest I’d like is where everyone shows up at Citi Field and in the third inning we all get up and walkout. I wonder if State run SNY TV would cover something like that?

I’ve always been a fan of the HBO show Hard Knocks, but having the Jets and Rex Ryan on this season had made the show appointment TV. Last night was outstanding and the more I watch, the more of a Rex Ryan fan I’m becoming. I always though Ryan was just a big blowhard but the way he interacts with his coaches and players is classic. He pats players on the back and he tells them when they suck. His confrontation with a D-lineman on the bubble after he finds out that DE Ropati Pitotua blew out his Achilles was riveting as he tells the lineman about Pitotua’ injury and asks him if “he wants to make the fuckin’ team or do I have get someone off the street” was Happy Rex morphing into Darth Vader Rex. Special Teams coach Mike Westoff needs his own show, he’s the Paulie Walnuts of Hard Knox.

For your reading pleasure please read this post by Ms. Jacqueline Conrad at Cardinal Diamond Diaries about her Grandmothers influence on her becoming a baseball fan.

Same with Minaya, how does he stay so calm? At some point shouldn’t he address the team and read the riot act? Doesn’t it bother him that just about every Mets fan thinks he’s a shit ass GM that only knows how to throw money at free agents and sign over the hill players?  Does he enjoy being in charge of a team that is made the punch line of jokes in all of baseball?

What about the owner? Does Jeffey Skill Sets enjoy be called a douchebag by me and other fans? Doesn’t get he ever get pissed that he is portrayed as a buffoon and spoiled little rich kid that evey Mets fan wants to punch in the face?

Is there anyone associated with this organization that ever gets mad? Besides Crazy Freddie? If ownership had a quarter of the passion and fight of it’s fan base, this team wouldn’t be in the sad position it’s in now.

You know what makes it worse? The Phillies and Red Sox have been decimated by injuries but both teams are still in the think of a pennant race. You know why? Because their players have boulders for balls unlike our Mets who I hate to say it, are cowards and I can call them cowards and losers and any other name I want and any of the MSM can show this post to the players, GM, or owner and they won’t do a damn thing about it.

Hey Omar, Hey Jerry, Hey Jeff, Hey David Wright any of you guys feel froggy, then leap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doesn’t 2006 seem like eon’s ago? Think about it, just four years ago the NY Mets were the NL East Champs and we Mets fans felt this was the beginning of a long prosperous run. Boy, were we wrong. Somehow, someway the organization has lost its focus and in turn has lost the trust of the fan base. As much as I enjoyed watching the Mets Hall of Fame induction ceremonies yesterday and the fact that the HOF and museum at Citi Field is exceptional and no one loves the history of this franchise more than I do, but it’s time to put that energy of bringing back the past, and move it towards building a solid organization for the future.

Quite frankly, I couldn’t care less who the next Mets HOF inductee will be and whose number could or should be retired or what kind of promotional days should be added to the schedule. I want the focus of ownership to be on building a minor league system that is the envy of baseball. I want the ownership to prove to me their not destitute by going over slot on draft picks they believe are worthy of such a contract. I want ownership to bring in the best and brightest executives in baseball to run this team and turn it into a perennial pennant contender. I want ownership to get rid of the deadwood on the roster.

I’ll be back at Citi Field a few more times this summer because I’m an addicted to the Mets and to baseball (Wednesday I went to Mets-Cards, Friday I was at SI Highlanders-Connecticut Tigers, tonight I’m going to Brooklyn Cyclones-Hudson Valley Renegades, Wednesday morning I leave for 10 days on Cape Cod just in time for the Cape Cod League Playoffs. If the Red Sox were home there would be a side trip to Boston for a game at Fenway as well oh yeah this on top of coaching baseball from the end of March to the end of July ) but guys like me are few and far between. It’s time for the Skill Sets to get their house in order and change the culture of this organization fast, this will be the most important off season in Flushing since the Wilpon/Doubleday ownership take over. The Skill Sets have to see a change of philosophy is needed. They can’t be that ignorant can they? Can they?

James Kannengieser at Amazin Avenue has his Five Ways to Improve The Mets and I’m sure we all agree on these each of them. What I can’t understand is this, when it comes to Toxic Ollie and The Late Luis Castillo what is the justification from ownership for not cutting both of them loose? Isn’t there anyone in these organizational meeting with a pair of balls to stand up and tell Jeffey Skill Sets it’s time to put the team ahead of the ledger sheet? Does Jeffey understand how much respect he would gain from the fan base if he came out and did a mass release of Perez, Castillo, Francoeur and Cora? Then tell the fans this is just the beginning of the organizational purge. Ah who am I kidding Jeffey Skill Sets is fucking gutless.

The Mets Police is now The A’s Police. Back in the mid 70’s when the Mets were awful, I was infatuated with the Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine. I even subscribed the Reds Alert which was a weekly fan mag. So now through the great MLB Extra Innings package, I’ve been watching the Reds as they fight the Cardinals for the top spot in the NL Central. Maybe I’ll change this site into the Ed Armbrister Society. 

I don’t know who I’m sick of hearing about more LeBron James or Cliff Lee? In Lee’s defense, it’s not his fault as he is no where near a self promoting Ring Leader of a media circus, that LBJ is. As much as Cliff Lee would be an injection of adrenaline to both the Mets pitching staff and it’s fan base, I feel the price for Lee will be too expensive for the Mets. Not monetarily but player wise.

I am enjoying watching the Mets this season unlike any Mets team that’s been assembled since 2006. I love watching a home grown infield and the fact that Angel Pagan a one time farm hand that returned home, and is playing All-Star caliber baseball. On the pitching side, how nice is it to see Mike Pelfrey grow up before our eyes, his lasted slump not withstanding? Jon Niese also pitching better than his scouting reports said he would.  Even Bobby Parnell coming back from a trip to Buffalo looks more grown up on the mound as well. It makes rooting for this team much more fun than when the roster is constructed of mainly mercenaries. That’s why I hope Cliff Lee goes to the Twins or Rays.

I’m sure some of you think that’s very short sighted of me to feel like that way and you may be right, maybe Josh Thole, Wilmer Flores and Jenry Mejia (the three players it would take to land Lee) never flourish in the big leagues and I know some say don’t fall in love with prospects but I guess I’m smitten by the Mets farmhands. I see Ike Davis and Jon Niese making a strong case for Rookie of Year and Ruben Tejada and his supersonic range at 2^nd base (not even his natural position) and then Josh Thole comes up and shows a productive bat (his at bats against the Second Coming of Christ a/k/a Stephen Strasburg have raised Thole stock even higher) and his handling of R.A. Dickey and his magical knuckle ball has him pushing Rod Barajas for playing time.  Then there is the financial situation of the team.

This is the great mystery that surrounds this franchise. Are the Mets broke, solvent or just keeping their heads above water? No one knows. I don’t think the Skill Sets are a bunch of brokesters but they’re not exactly livin’ large either. So even if you trade your fine farm fresh products for Cliff Lee, what’s the odds you’re going to sign him long term? Not very good if you ask me.

That’s why Ted Lilly makes the most sense to try to acquire. I’m sure the Cubs would take F-Mart and a minor league pitcher of lesser renown for Lilly.

Lilly is a perfect Citi Field pitcher as he is an extreme fly ball pitcher. His velocity has been down early in the season but like Johan Santana he is coming off injury and little by little getting some speed back on his fastball that in the second half of the season should benefit him by making his change up more effective. A rotation of Santana, Big Pelf, Lilly, Neise and Dickey looks very solid to me.

Sure Cliff Lee would be a huge score but I don’t want to pay the high price in kids. Get Lilly and a reliever either Chad Qualls or Matt Lindstrom and take your shot.

Rough one last night in San Diego. Kevin Corria connected twice to Jerry Hariston Jr in the end zone for 2 TD’s and David Eckstein kicked two extra points to lead the Padres over the Mets 18-6. Adrian Gonzalez had a big night of defense as he sacked Raul Valdes and Ryota Igarashi in the end zone for safeties. The Mets scored on a Jose Reyes punt return but the 2pt conversion failed.  

If I’m Ollie Perez or Scott Boras I’d welcome a trip to Buffalo as to not have to face the media and a very angry fan base when the Mets get back to NYC to open a three game series with the Fish on Friday. I’d love to get a press pass for the Friday game just to ask Ollie on question:

“Oliver? Steve Keane from the Eddie Kranepool Society” How does it feel that Mets front office, players and fan base are so disgusted by your selfishness that they would rather see you hogtied with an athletic cup shoved in your mouth stuffed in the trunk of a car parked on Fountain Avenue in East New York Brooklyn”

Ollie: “Brooklyn? Shit I don’t want to go to Buffalo what makes you think I want to go to Brooklyn”

Hey while you’re watching Big Pelf lose 1-0 to the Padres tonight how about joining me on THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN as I open the phone lines to the listeners tonight to talk Mets and all things baseball at 10PM ET on Blog Talk Radio. The call in number is (646) 727-2465. No hands waves or being told You’re Lawst on this show, we’re caller friendly

With all the talk of canning Jerry Manuel, isn’t that just a smoke screen to cover up the inactivity of the Mets front office? I use the term “front office” instead of just signaling out Omar Minaya who in my opinion has been de-nutted by ownership. If Omar was axed today, it wouldn’t bother me in the least, same with the manager, but until someone on the inside tells us the story of who is actually making the personnel decisions around here, I have to put all the blame on the Skill Sets for the team not making moves to show the players and the fans they want to win.

Mets fans are in a much better position than the players, who have no choice but to show up every day, the fans, they can go spend their time and money someplace else. That’s the beauty of living in NYC, plenty of options here to spend those discretionary funds.

So fine you fire J-Man, who is coming in Bob Melvin? I have no clue what Bob Melvin can do to shake this up. If you make a change why not give Ken Oberkfell the job, and let him bring Ricky Bones with him to be the pitching coach. Obbie has been a loyal Skill Sets solider and Bones has plenty of knowledge of the younger arms in the system  as he like Obbie has been in the org for awhile, so that  would seem to be the move to make.

Look in a perfect world, I’d want the return of Bobby Valentine as my first choice. BV seems to like being on the tele but the allure of running a big league team and his return as a long lost hero would be just the thing to make BV say yes to the job but the Skill Sets are so stupid that they can not comprehend that by offering a sweet deal to Bobby V it would rejuvenate the team and the fan base. If the Mets announced today that BV will be the new manager I’d guarantee they phone and internet lines at the $iti Field ticket office would be overloaded. The only guy right now that can knock LeBron James watch over the back page is Bobby Valentine.

What about Kid Carter? Sure he went about things the wrong way when Willie Randolph was ready for the firing squard but I’m not mad at him. His personality and his stature as a former Met with a World Sereis ring and a plaque in the Hall of Fame gives him instant cred in the clubhouse and with the fan base.

Until the Skill Sets get it through their numb skulls that the fan base is now leaning toward apathy and have voiced their displeasure with the way this team operates by coming down with a chronic case of alligator arms when it comes to buying tickets, they need a big splash to reinvigorate things in Flushing, if not the only lines on 126^th and Roosevelt will be for a tire change or a new car radiator.

with a gun in his hand

and the first to do time

the first of the gang to die. Oh my.

Hector was the first of the gang

with a gun in his hand

and the first to do time

the first of the gang to die. Oh my.

So, what now? I’ll say this, making a managerial move at this moment would just be window dressing. I’d like to see and new face in the mgr’s office sure,  but right now there is not a baseball manager alive (or dead) that could get this team to play better. The decay of the Mets starts at the top with Jeffey Skill Sets and I’ve beat this horse to death, resurrected it and beat it’s ass again. I’m not going to waste your time and mine going over my distain for management. But the masses are looking for a scalp. Talk radio, the message boards any place Mets can voice their wrath, are looking for a trophy. It’s like The Passion of The Mets, where we all stand in front of $iti Field screaming “ CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM” .

The anger and nastiness from the Mets fan right now is not out of hate but the biggest show of love you could ever see or hear. There is a thin line between love and hate for sure. That’s passion, something that the owners of this team sorely lack. Jeff Wilpon and David Howard do not posses a baseball soul, that’s why they can’t understand us. The improvements at $iti Field while pleasing to Mets fans, we must remember these rich fat ass’s had to be embarrassed in order to make it right.

The new message that ownership needs to hear is that while the passion of rabid Mets fan still burns white hot, that flame could go out very soon. Hate is still passion, but when the fan base turns apathetic, that’s failure and the Wilpon’s, Saul Katz and David Howard are on the express lane with an EZ-Pass  to failure.

Ok we fire Manuel and who takes over, Bob Melvin? Tim Tuefel? Joe Frazier ? Does it matter? The best  move the club could make today is assign Jenry Mejia to Bingo, bring up Ike Davis to play first base everyday, release Mike Jacobs and Fernando Tatis. Then send John Maine to Dr. James Andrews for a full physical evaluation. If every thing checks out a-okay, then give him a copy of this book, if that fails then time to release him. Show your fan base you’re not broke or cheap by releasing Luis Castillo. Put Ollie Perez on waivers and when he clears assign him to Buffalo (I don’t know if they can do this but I’m so fucking mad, spittle is flying out of my mouth just typing this post) in essence my message to Mets management is do something, show me you actually give a fuck about this franchise and in turn give us Mets fans a reason to buy a ticket and go to $iti Field. Last night the Orioles had just under 14,000 fans at Camden Yards. Monday they had less than 10,000 the reason they had 4,000 more fans last night was two fold, rookie stud pitcher Brian Matsuz was on the mound and the team was giving away t shirts. Someone in the Mets front office has to have a scintilla of common sense to see the Mets and $iti Field are headed in that direction.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you Skill Sets. Pretty soon every day will be like Sunday.

Lot’s of posts on this site have been made taking Mets management to task but today I want to start this one with some praise and thanks.

My son and I were supposed to be at Citi Field yesterday enjoying Opening Day but due to the Easter weekend we could not lay my mother to rest until yesterday.  I offered my tickets to various friends but none wanted them under the circumstances and a more than one person told me to contact the Mets and tell them of my situation and see if they would exchange the tickets for another game.  So I called the Mets ticket office to see if they could help me out.

The seats were in the lower level and cost me $190 so I couldn’t just eat the cost, so it was worth a shot.

The ticket agent I spoke to offered me his condolences and then asked me  to hold so he could get a supervisor to help me. The supervisor came on and also offered a kind word and told me “no question, Mr. Keane we will refund your  ticket and credit your credit card for the full amount” and with that he said “On behalf of the New York Mets, we offer our condolences”

Thank you to the Mets ticket office and to the Mets organization for their help, understanding and kind words.

I didn’t get to see much of yesterday’s game but after seeing highlights and reading various sites, I figured I’d comment on a few items:

It looks as though the Mets have taken the fan base’ advice and Met-trifed Citi Field. Moving the Shea Stadium Home Run Apple was a tremendous move. Although I enjoyed sitting at the picnic tables in back of the bullpen with the Apple tucked away in the back, the Apple is now in a proper place out in the open.

I love that there is a Gil Hodges Entrance and a Tom Seaver Entrance as well. The Mets Hall of Fame looks like it’s a must see place and the player imagines on banners hanging from the lamp posts are a great touch as well. I can’t wait to see these things in person.

I got a letter from the Mets with the location of my brick on the Fan Walk. It’ s in the spot with the Game 6 of the 1986 World Series plaque and it reads METSFANS4EVER KEANE FAMILY STATEN ISLAND.  So please no spitting, or gum or cigarette butts on my brick. Thank You.

It’s safe to say no other fan base but the Mets fan would boo the training and strength and condition staff. In fact I don’t think any other fan would know the names of it’s training and strength and conditioning staff.

Hurray for the new guys as Jason Bay, Gary Mathews Jr and Rod Barajas had big days with the bat.

The Marlins looked very 2009 Mets-ish with their sloppy defense.

Not the best welcome back for Mike Jacobs with 2 K’s and being lifted for defensive purpose by Fernando Tatis.

One win down and nineteen more to go for Johan Santana. Santana pitched to the ballpark as we got ten outs via fly ball and five K’s with a nice mix of the fastball/changeup that kept the Fish batters off balance. The man knows how to pitch.

Those new cream colored pinstriped  uni’s should be the one and only home uniform.  How can anyone say the black uni tops and those disgusting black and blue hats look better ?

The worst part of the Reyes Thyroid melodrama is not the illness as it appears with rest and proper diet, Reyes can get his overactive Thyroid under control, it’s the fact that the front office now has to make some very important personnel moves and that alone should set all our Thyroids into overdrive.

As a fan I’m petrified about Jerry Manuel getting his way, having Jenry Mejia thrust into the set up role, and of Alex Cora becoming the everyday shortstop, and Cora can crow with all his bravado about grabbing the shortstop job until Reyes comes back but in the words of Harry Callahan, “A man’s got to know his limitations” you are what you are an overpaid backup. Now Manuel has another problem, trying to put together a lineup without two major pieces, a leadoff hitter and three- hole hitter.

The way it looks now the lineup for opening day would be this:

Pagan

Castillo

Wright

Bay

Murphy

Francouer

Barajas

Tejada

However, with the current situation the Mets find themselves in now and the way Ike Davis is hitting, the Mets may be forced into brining Davis up and letting him be the everyday first baseman. Now you may be saying, “Aren’t you the big time Murphy Fanboy” yes, yes I am, the problem is though, Murphy is not a 5 hole hitter, he is more a 2 or a 7 but with Wright and Bay both hitting from the right side, to have Frenchy got to 5, I would not be comfortable with three consecutive right handed batters plus Davis is showing that he could be ready and having that lefty power bat early on not only would boost the lineup but it would re-invigorate the fan base.

Murphy early on would be a lefty bat off the bench and by the time Beltran comes back (talk about a guy who has fallen off the radar screen, is Beltran working out in camp? at home?, at the mall ? where’s Carlos B ?)   along with Cora and either GMJ (switch-hitter) or Frank Catalanotto or Chris Carter with Fernando Tatis and Henry Blanco ready from the right side.  Then when Beltran and Reyes do come back, reassess the situation and move accordingly.

The biggest gripe I have and most Mets fans have is the lack of a strong leader in management. There is no one in the Mets organization that can stepped to a podium that makes me feel like they are in control of any situation. It’s sad. Every time a situation arises with this team it turns into embarrassment, we want to believe, we want to look at the ownership with confidence that there is a plan, we want to see the manager and players hold their heads high and play tough physically and mentally but all we get is a bunch of guys with high water pants and eye glasses held together with scotch tape. Not very inspiring is it?

I’d go into the pitching situation but my Morphine drip is almost empty.

 First of all the game is at 1PM, so why not see the doc either at 9AM or in the afternoon ? It’s not like Reyes is going to go a full 9 today. Why can’t the sawbones come to Mets camp to see Reyes or even co-ordinate with the Mets training  and medical staff to handle this in camp?   Besides it’s Thursday, everyone knows that doctors take off on Wednesday to play golf. 

Reyes says this had absolutely nothing to do with his legs that his hammy is dandy so that makes this trip to the doctor even more curious.

You would think with the teams track record on medical issues and the fragile psyche of  it’s fan base the front office would handle this a bit differently.  

So now let’s add Beltran’s knee, Escobar sore arm, Frankie Rodz pink eye to this mystery doctors appointment of Reye’s to the legend of the Mets front office reign of error