In most sports, the person in charge of the team is called Coach. Coaches are a combination of motivator, evaluator and tactician. Football coaches run “Programs”, Basketball and Hockey coaches have “Systems” but what do Baseball Managers have? Well, they “manage”.

Baseball managers do more managing of personalities and keeping players happy than doing much tactical maneuvers. Sure they have to know when to go to the bullpen and when to go to the bench but it’s not like they are re-inventing the game or spending nights pouring over film to get an edge on their opponent. In baseball, your edge is your next days starting pitcher.

In his book “Evaluating Baseball’s Managers” (MacFarland) Chris Jaffe writes the ultimate book on the effect of baseball managers on their team’s success and failure. Jaffe uses a combination of statistics and in depth analysis to examine the role of mangers through out the history of baseball.

Jaffe takes each team in MLB and focuses on the role of managers who have worked in full seasons for their team. Jaffe was kind enough to send me an excerpt of the Mets managers in the book.

Jaffe makes the case for Casey Stengel never having players of talent until he was hired by the Yankees. Before his success in the Bronx, Stengel struggled in the NL with Brooklyn and Boston, to the point where he went to the Pacific League to run the Oakland Oaks to redeem himself.  Gil Hodges falls in a similar category as Stengel where he didn’t have much talent with the Washington Senators but was perfect for an up and coming young Mets team. Davey Johnson is portrayed as an underrated skipper and Bobby Valentine being the most active manager as it pertains to in game moves and the use of his 25 man roster. Jaffe makes the case that Art Howe and the Mets were not and should not have been a match as Howe was more suited to running a club of younger players and also suffered the stigma of being portrayed as a puppet of Billy Beane as seen through the pages of Moneyball.

Jaffe has taken on a subject that has not been fully represented. This book will appeal to both the stat head and the fan of the written word.

After reading the excerpt on the Mets managers, I look forward to picking up a copy of Evaluating Baseball Mangers just for the sections on Joe McCarthy, Connie Mack and the immortal John McGraw.

I was 11 years old (same as Gary Cohen) when the Mets became World Champions. You see all the negativism and anger from this current Mets fans base? Well now picture the complete opposite of that and you have the feel for what it was like around here in 1969.

Think of this for the first time in the history of newspapers the NY Daily News ran a COLOR front page just for the Mets. The news also sold buttons with GO METS on them and every Sunday had portraits of Mets players as inserts in the paper. Channel 9 the TV home of the Mets showed just about every game and all the games were on radio (WJRZ 970 AM) and Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner were the guys we brought into our homes for every game.

The Mets were not just the talk of NY but of the whole country they were truly America’s team. This was an organization that was looked at as loveable losers until the Quiet Man took over and put an end to that kind of thinking. It was Gil Hodges who set the tone for the club. As Mets fans we all know of the love and devotion that Tom Seaver had for Hodges, not an appearance goes by when The Franchise doesn’t invoke the name of Hodges his stories. But the most told story about Hodges and his team always is about him taking out Cleon Jones during a game against the Astros on July 30 1969 for lack of hustle.

During his time on the SNY broadcast, Jones told that the only Hodges and he knew what really happened that day. Jones went on to say how Hodges didn’t yell or scream or get in his face he just told Jones that we can’t play like this if were going to win  and Jones realized right there that is wasn’t business as usual for the Mets. Hodges meant what he said in spring training that the loser mentality stops here and now and Jones knew after getting lifted from that game that the team was destined to win.

Some observation from last night’s ceremony:

I love how Eddie Yost came out and was still giving signs, and leave it to Howie Rose to remember that Lindsey Nelson would always say “and Eddie Yost, the sign man is coaching at third base…….”

Wayne Garret and Gary Gentry must have found the fountain of youth, both guys look like they could still play.

You know you’re an old time Mets fan, when you not only can recognize Duffy Dyer but your happy as hell to see him.

Here is the legacy of Yogi Berra, he is the only man other than the Pope who could get a standing ovation in both Highlander Stadium and $iti Field.

I loved how the music of 1969 was intertwined with the introduction of the players but I wish SNY would have left the cameras on the players instead of showing videos of them in their playing day. It’s called capture the moment fellas’

The biggest ovations of the night were for Bob Murphy’s widow and for Ralph Kiner and rightfully so.

I don’t I have ever seen Jerry Grote look so happy as he did last night. I wish he was with the Mets in some capacity as that is what the organization misses an Grote like mentality. I still can see him throwing back a ball to the pitcher at about 95 mph when he was pissed off at him for either crossing him up or not hitting his spot and non of the pitchers ever challenging him.

I’m glad Gary Cohen mentioned Ken Boswell not being there and not being acknowledged on the field. It seems Boswell had a falling out with the organization an declined the invitation to come. This is where the Skill Sets are absolutely clue less. With their track history, the Skill Sets are probably at fault here and should have made amends with Boswell to get him last nights ceremony. Boswell too should not be so cranky as to snub this reunion as I’m sure he feels hurt that the Mets treated him wrong (join the club Kenny) but he may regret it for a long time not being at $iti Field last night.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, Tom Seaver is THE FRANCHISE!!!!

There may be no more underrated sports performer in this town than Jerry Koosman. The chant back then was “We can’t loose with Seaver and Kooz”

New York, NY, August 14, 2009 — Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant, a popular destination for baseball players, team executives, and fans of the game, announced its menu available now through the end of August will honor of the 1969 Mets.  The “Gil Hodges Manager’s Special” offers soup or salad, an entrée and a glass of Bud or soda for fixed price of $19.69.

Foley’s will rename menu items after key members of the 1969 World Champions, including:

• Grilled Chicken “Seaver” Salad,
• Kranepool’s Krabcake Sandwich,
• Tug McGraw’s Pulled Pork Po’ Boy,
• Foley’s Burger with Tommy Agee’d Cheddar, and
• Art Shamsky’s Pastrami on Rye. 

Desserts (not part of the $19.69 menu) include Wayne Garrett’s Carrot Cake and Ron Swoboda’s Ice Cream Soda

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.

Where do we begin to make sense of the latest calamities to befall our team? Let’s start with Jose Reyes.

I’m trying to make sense of how and when Reyes suffered this tear in his hamstring. After not hustling, J-Man sat Reyes the next day and we all rejoiced that Manuel was showing Jose who was the head Gangsta’ in Charge. But then he didn’t start the next day and we all said “WOW J-Man is going hard core on Reyes’ ass” but the word from the inner sanctum of the front t office was that Reyes had a sore leg. That was May 15^th. After that, Reyes sat out three games and then jogged a bit in LA and said he’d give it a go. So he started on May 19^th played the full game at shortstop and had a hit. Good to have you back Jose. The next night in LA, Reyes took is customary place at short and the lead off spot but something wasn’t right his leg was still bothering him and he came out of the game after one at bat. He was sent back to NY and it was revealed he had tendonitis behind his knee. The debate raged to DL or not DL, whether ‘tis nobler to let the player rest and recover or push him to the brink of making a nagging injury into a catastrophe. The Mets and their training and medical staff chose the later.

So instead of resting Reyes, the Mets sent him to St. Lonesome to “Rehab” (the next Mets player who gets injured should pull an Amy Winehouse and sing “I don’t wanna go to rehab, I said no, no, no) and during that rehab (or so we think because this will be covered up) Reyes suffered a torn hamstring tendon.

Now if I owned the Mets (how much fun would that be, not only would you never hear Sweet Caroline ever again, Neil Diamond would be permanently banned from ever coming to Gil Hodges Park that’s right I’d change the ball park’ name as my first order of business but I digress….) somebody is getting fired here. Either a trainer or a doctor or a front office person because the player who is the catalyst for my offense and my one of my top defensive players is out for what is a conservative estimate of 4-6 weeks. Was he misdiagnosed? Was it improper rehab instruction? Someone has to explain that to me and it better be convincing as their ass is on the line.     

Same with J.J. Putz. The guy goes from bad mechanics to a bone spur that just needs a cortisone shot to now to surgery? Com’on can we get our act together here?

As much as I want Omar to make a big move, I don’t want to trade any of the remaining top prospects in the organization and frankly I don’t know if he has the chips to trade with. I’m sure he’d love to move Ryan Church but what would Church bring back in return? Could you send Church back to D.C for Chrstian Guzman or to Oakland for Bobby Crosby? If you can, do it.

No way they want to deal off F-Mart and I never want to hear the names Bradley Holt, Jenrry Mejia , Wilmer Flores or Jefry Marte. I don’t know if any or all of these kids will turn out to be big time players but I ‘d rather keep them and make do with what we have or take on a big salary (I know Jeffy I know, what am I thinking ?) which would take less trade bait to do. Whatever, happens Omar, John Rico and Tony B have their work ahead of them as the Braves and Fish are on their heels.

Bravo Beltran:

“The reality of this is, coming here to Pittsburgh and getting swept, me, I feel embarrassed,” said Beltran, who homered and doubled in his first game since Saturday. “I don’t think it’s fun. I think we should find a way to play better and to focus more on what we need to accomplish…. “We have to play better. There’s no doubt we have to play better. I mean, we have to take this personally. It can’t happen. It can’t happen to us being able to come here and lose three games just like that. It just can’t happen. Three games with this team - I know they’re a big-league ballclub - but we’re better than them. We’re better than them. And we know we’re better than them, but we have to do something about it.”

Finally someone stepped up in that clubhouse. I’m trying my best not to go ape shit on my boy D-Wright but if you are just going to give the same bland vanilla answers to question after games like yesterday where your club is embarrassed then it’s best to shut the fuck up.

The one thing I worry about with Manuel’ bombshells that sooner or later he has to stick with one of them or they become hallow threats. If Gimp Castillo can show he’s capable of leading off while Jose Reyes plays Dominican Patriot in the WBC, then stick with it. Last year J-Man was ready to use a starter as a closer when none of the relievers stepped up to take Billy Wags spot and it seems like he would have used John Maine in that role until Maine had to be shut down with injury.

Of the two I think the Every Day Danny is the one that will stick, in fact I’d be shocked if Church is not out there everyday as well and Tatis becomes more of a ‘swingman” playing maybe two or three games a week in either outfield corner or an infield corner. Trying to read between the lines I think the Mets want both D-Wright and Jose Reyes to get more time off during the July-August heat to keep them fresh for September. 

ESPN is running a nightly Mt Rushmore of sports of all 50 states thru fan voting. David Singer at NY Sportsdog has put a voting poll for Mets fans to vote for their Mt Rushmore. I think the voting ends in a day or two so click over and cast your ballot. My votes went to Gil Hodges, Tom Seaver, Keith Hernandez and of course Ed Kranepool.

I’m still bummed out that Mickey Rourke didn’t win Best Actor.

Add to that news that Manny/Boras have turned down the Dodgers latest proposal of 1 yr/$25 mil deal which means the Manny to the Mets talk will never die as you have figure that Boras had to talk  Manny with Omar. He had to right? RIGHT?

More Mets news today as the off season levee has broken. It looks like the deal with Citigroup for the new Pleasure Palace is under fire and Citi Group may look to void the deal due to pressure from Congress. Is the karma changing in Flushing? Will we see the ball park named after Gil Hodges or will it keep the Shea name atop the façade?

Mike Silva has a great post on New York Baseball Digest on how the Mets strive to be good and not great and as I commented on Mike’s post as long as the Skill Sets strive to be just good me and the rest of the Mets bloggers will continue to fight them to strive to be great. That doesn’t mean to spend like our neighbors in the Bronx but to have a plan stick to it and make any necessary move to attain greatness. Signing Manny would work well to achieve that goal. The Skill Sets remind me of the landlords I deal with who get violations on their buildings and cry to the court that they have no money to make the necessary repairs to meet the city code. Usually these buildings have address on Park Ave and Central Park West and are worth umpteen millions of dollars and just like with the Skill Sets I give them a big yawn when they cry to me about how hungry they are when they have not just loves of bread under their arms but the whole damn bakery.

Joel Sherman in his HARDBALL blog talks up Ty Wiggington who makes so much sense for the Mets it’s guaranteed the Mets won’t sign him.

Excuse me now while I pry my eyes out with a fork. 

Gallagher’s Steak House will host a benefit luncheon for the American Heart Association on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 featuring members of the 1969 World Champion New York Mets and Super Bowl Champion New York Jets, celebrating the 40^th anniversary of their championship seasons. Right fielders Ron Swoboda and Art Shamsky, first baseman Eddie Kranepool and short stop Buddy Harrelson will be joined by Joan Hodges, the widow of manager Gil Hodges, and Maxene Agee, the widow of centerfielder Tommie Agee. Jets Super Bowl players, running back Emerson Boozer and guard Dave Herman, as well as Knicks World Champion Dr. Dick Barnett will also be on hand. The $75 package will include a three course Power Lunch, an autographed copy of Shamsky’s book “The Magnificent Seasons,” an autographed color photograph of Swoboda, and a donation to the American Heart Association. For tickets and information call Gallagher’s Steak House at 212 245 5336. Reservations are recommended. Gallagher’s Steak House is located at 228 West 52^nd Street in New York City. He luncheon will feature the unveiling of a permanent photo gallery featuring the Mets, Jets and Knicks from the 1969 world championship seasons for the three teams.

Also on February 4th:

In 1969, yes, it was 40 years ago, man landed and walked on the moon, and the Amazin’ Mets shocked the baseball world when they went from basement to penthouse and defeated the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in the World Series to become baseball’s World Champions. Two members of the “Miracle Mets,” Ron Swoboda, who made one of the greatest catches in World Series lore when he robbed Brooks Robinson in Game 4, and Art Shamsky, who had seven hits in the National League Championship Series to pace the Mets in their victory over the Atlanta Braves, will share their memories when Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway presents “Amazin’ Outfielders” on Wednesday night, February 4, from 7:00-9:00 PM.  The two right fielders will reminisce on the amazing season, meet and greet fans and sign autographs in Empire City’s Gotham Palace at the Entertainment Lounge. Admission is free.

Tonight we will be back on the air as Joe is in Las Vegas and hopefully we will be discussing the Frankie Rodriguez as the Mets new closer and what’s next on Omar’s shopping list. So join us tonight at 10PM EST and join in by calling us at (646) 595-4462 at Pro Baseball Central at Blog Talk Radio.