Last night’s hour long PRO BASEBALL CENTRAL show, went by in a flash thanks our own Yankee-Doodle, Michael calling in and Matt Silverman coming on to talk about the ’69 Mets. Some of the topics I wanted to get to in the opening of the show got pushed back as I went on a bit of a Fernando Martinez rant, so I guess I’ll touch on those here.

By the way I got to see F-Mart’s AB last night with the bases loaded and two out in the Dominican Republic v. Venezuela Caribbean World Series game. Martinez did not get a hit in the AB but it was an impressive turn at the plate that lasted 10 pitches until he hit a foul pop that was caught by the Venezuelan right fielder.

I’m not anti-Fernando in any way; I just want the kid to stop acing like he’s a 27 year old journeyman who has never gotten a chance and be the 20 year old who plays so well this spring that he beats out Angel Pagan to be Carlos Beltran’s understudy.

Looks like me and Orlando Hudson have something in common; we both will never play second base for the Mets. So after all the debate about second base for the Mets what’s done is done, Luis Castillo is the Mets second baseman for better or worse till death due us part (or until Reese Havens can prove he can play at the big league level) for 2010.

What is the under/over on how many times Gary Cohen or Howie Rose say “Just out of the reach of Castillo, for a base hit” this season? Let’s set the number at 75.

The last place in the world I thought I’d ever see the name Municipal Credit Union would be on a ball park marquee.  I wonder if those of us with accounts at MCU will get a discount on Cyclones tickets.

I’m very happy for Nelly Figs and his great performance the other day for DR in the Caribbean Series but it wasn’t like he was pitching against the Phillies or Highlanders, it was against Mexico and 45 year old  270 lb Vinny Castila, The Big Fajita!

Maybe things are not as bleak for the Mets as we think. FOX has the Amazin’s scheduled for broadcast 8 times this coming season and one of the games is a prime timer versus the Bronx Bastards.

Maple Street Press is coming out with it’s Mets Annual in a few weeks and there will be a section on the Mets Blogosphere, that will include yours truly.

Matt Silverman is putting out a revised paperback version of his book “100 Things Mets Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” 

J.Geils Band

I should be a happy Mets fan this morning, with the news that Jason Bay will sign up to man left field for my favorite baseball team. What’s not to like about Bay ? Big time power hitter from the right side of the plate, he stepped in to a situation in Boston, as crazy a baseball town as NYC and he took the place of one of the greatest right handed hitters to ever pick up a bat in Manny Ramirez and excelled. I was  at Fenway Park for Bay’s first game as a Red Sox and his hitting and attitude won over the hearts of Royal Rooters that weekend.  So why am I not on the phone pleading with the Mets ticket office to please, PLEASE, sell me a season ticket, I don’t care if a handrail or giant piece of Plexiglas impairs my vision of the field, I JUST WANT TO BE AT $ITI FIELD IN 2010!!!!!!!!!!   Well, because Jason Bay can’t pitch.

It’s not just that Bay is not a pitcher and the Mets need about three starting pitchers to even think of contending for an NL Pennant , I still look at the Mets as Bay’s last resort.  You have to feel, the Red Sox were his first choice to re-enlist with and his agent made a 4yr/$60mil offer to which Theo Epstein said “Do I know you”? That’s Cold Hearted Theo, “Come back when you settle for as 2yr plus and option and maybe I’ll dance with you”. The Highlanders would seem to be choice two, put it seems that the heirs to the Highlander fortune, Hal and Hank A/K/A The Fortunate Son’s, feel as though we won the World Series so now it’s time for us to set up our bank accounts because there will be a mucho disposable dinero flowing in the Bronx this summer and the Fortunate Sons want to bring back Bags O Cash to their Tampa lair. Then there is the Seattle Mariners ,which for Bay would have worked out the best for the Boy from BC.  Mrs. Bay is from the Pacific Northwest so the thought of playing house close to where he grew up with many millions in his pocket had to be very pleasing to the Bay’s. Problem is new Mariners GM Jack Z felt, sure we’d love to have you here but not for some ridiculous sum of $16 mil a year. Instead Jack Z went for bat shit crazy Milton Bradley who came to the Emerald City with his pockets full of cash, letting the M’s save money for something important like pitching. Did you know that Jack Z was once part of the Mets front office?

So the way I look at it, Jason Bay had no other choice but to play for the Mets. But I still feel the Mets were that last fat kid picked when you would choose up sides in the school yard. I just hope that at the Bay presser he doesn’t start waxing poetic about being back in the Mets organization ,in fact I’d have a better appreciation for Bay if he didn’t have a presser but I’m sure Jeffey and Jay Horowitz are at King Kullen right now ordering the cold cuts.

Look you have to give Omar his props as he obtained a power hitting corner outfielder at his terms. For all the venom tossed at Omar’s way this winter once in a while you can give him a pat on the back. Beisdes, Jeffey Skill Sets and Dave The Shyster would just the money on a house in the Hamptons.

Now is not the time for the Mets front office to take any bows, there work is far from done. Now try to make a deal with the Reds and Royals for Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo or Gil Meche . Get two of those three and I’ll bring a marble rye to the presser.  

What does your Dickey do? Mine throws a knuckleball

Hello? Where have you been hearing that the Mets should get David DeJesus and Gil Meche? Hello? Is this thing on?

Fork please! Carlos Delgado is as done as a Christmas goose.

When it comes to Assclowns nobody beats Highlander fans. Some of these geniuses have been calling WFAN or Twittering that they hate the deal that brought Javier Vasquez to the Highlanders for Melkey Cabrea and a couple of bush leaguers. Sometimes Highlander fans your stupidity is breath taking.

Thank you Mike Vaccaro, thank you for a wonderful column this morning.

Why do I get the sad feeling that we will see more Red Sox stories in the fish wraps this summer than Mets news?

It’s time to tell Jason Bay and Bengi Molina we’re not interested. Call both their bluffs in fact just tell Bay’s agent “sorry we’ve had second thoughts” then call Molina’s guy and Rod Barajas guy and the first one to say yes to a 2yr incentive laden deal gets that deal.

The reason I’m ready to “Bay-O, Bayyyyyyyyyyyy-O we’ve got no deal so you gotta go home”, is I want the Mets to sign Johnny Damon to play LF in 2010 and 2011

Now I’m not saying that Damon is better than Bay, he’s not, but the drop off is not so fierce that you could get Damon for half the money you’d spend on Bay and with less commitment. Then of course there is the all important intangibles. Damon is a dynamic presences in the clubhouse, he has dissed publicly by the Highlanders so you know he is going to come to camp ready to make a big statement, and he wears two world championship rings from two of the highest profile team sin sports. Not to mention the good will you would build up with Scott Boras for making his client look good after he (Boras) dropped the ball with the Highlander negotiations.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the last team Jason Bay wants to be a part of is the New York Mets. There is no mystery team, there is no competition for his services, now would be the time to tell Bay and his agent we’re going in another direction and announce the signing of Johnny Damon to a 2yr/18 mil deal with incentives to get the money over $20 mil. Damon is a winner and those types of players are in short supply I Queens.

Enjoy Camden Yards Jason.

Baseball’s garage sale begins tonight A/K/A the non-tendered players go on the free agent market and there are some players on the list that would help the Mets immeasurably like:

RHP Kevin Corriea

The Padres are trying to have the lowest payroll since the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings started paying players so a very good #4 pitcher like Corriea will be sitting out there to the highest bidder. Right now Corriea would be better than anyone other than Johan Santana in the Mets rotation.

Garret Atkins/Ryan Garko

Either player would be an excellent compliment to Daniel Murphy as a right handed hitting tag team partner at first base.

RHP Chien-Ming Wang

Yes he is coming off injury and yes he is a Highlander but Wang is perfect for the Mets if sound as a ground ball pitcher, Wang won’t be ready to pitch until May but Omar has signed bigger question marks than Wang so he’s worth an incentive laden contract. I’ll be surprised if the Highlanders let him go though.

Alex Cora is in mid season form. I guess the Mets will extend his contract now.

No one kills Mets management as much as I do, in fact I love calling out the clueless Jeffey Skill Sets and that shyster David Howard, but I’m kind of puzzled with the reaction of some Mets fans to the offers the club has made to Jason Bay and Bengi Molina.

Most of the criticism goes to the fact the Mets made just a $5 mil bump in monies to Bay. It’s a first offer, it’s a start, it now gets the negotiation going. The front office has concluded that Bay fits the club better than Matt Hoilday and I agree. The Mets even used (are you ready for this?) STATISTICAL  ANALYSIS to show how many fly balls Bay has hit last season would translate to $iti Field and it’s safe to say Bay would send many a souvenir baseball into the left field seats.

The big knock on Bay is his defense which I feel is a fallacy. The guy did have 15 outfield assists last year and his fielding number are better than league average plus with Carlos Beltran in CF I’m willing to bank on his ability to cover the ground that Bay can’t with the trade off of 30+HR and 100+ RBI.

So the Mets first offer is 4yr/$65mil. Bay’ counter off will be more years and of course more money. The thing to watch is who besides the Mets are in the running for Bay’s services. His former team the Red Sox are not known for giving out big deals to 30 year olds and have a track record of not getting personal with the help. Theo Epstein is all business. We’ve also seen that Bay is not giving the Sox a home team discount.

The Highlanders now with Curtis Granderson are not players for Bay. The Mariners? As bad as we feel the Mets are with dough they won’t be out spent by the M’s. The one team that could come in and make it interesting is the Angels.

It looks like the Mets want Bay and most likely will get him. For all the criticism of Omar he usually gets the guy he wants, it doesn’t always work out but count me as on board for Bay.

With all the jokes about the Mets cornering the market on backup catchers they still need a legit #1 backstop and if it takes 2yrs for Bengi Molina, then sign him. Sure he’s long in the tooth and as Joe Mc Donald said last night on our PRO BASEBALL CENTRAL show, you run the risk of Brian Schneider revisited but for 2yrs/$18 mil I’ll take a shot that Bengi is still on his game this year and is at worse a backup to Josh Thole in 2011. The one concern I have about Molina (and it’s not his speed on the bases ) is last year when the Giants brought up uber catching prospect Buster Posey to add some more pop in the G’ints flaccid offense, Bengi Baby didn’t ‘t respond well to having a pocket full of Posey, staring at him on the bench, so attitude is a bit of a red flag.

But like Casey Stengel said, You have to have a catcher because if you don’t you’re likely to have a lot of passed balls.”

Mets Police has a great post where Detective Dan had an actual conversation with an employee in the Mets office. Dan sent back his season ticket invoice, not with a check but with a “no thank you” note. It looks like the Mets are getting a lot of these no thanks notes from season ticket subscribers so they are now burning the phone lines to ask why and boy oh boy, did Dan tell them why.

Maybe, just maybe, there has been a revelation in management that the Mets fans are not mad anymore, but worse, they are apathetic. At least with hate there is still passion. Remember it’s a thin line between love and hate but once apathy sets in you’re fucked.

As far as I’m concerned there are three spots open in the rotation. Johan Santana is of course the ace and with his pittance of a contract picked up Big Pelf gets a spot as well. So who gets the other three spots? John Maine and Ollie Perez are in the mix if both are still around as the rumblings are that Maine could be non-tendered and maybe Omar can get someone drunk at the winter meetings to take on OP but even with them still on the roster, I say the need to show that they belong. Both pitchers along with Big Pelf, Jon Niese , Fernando Nieve and Nelly Figs should fight for the 4 or 5 spot. Which means the Mets need to bring in two solid big league pitchers, so here are my candidates:

John Lackey

Lackey would be the signing of the off season but how much will it take and do the Skill Sets have the scratch to pay him? This will be the theme of the off season. Jeffey Skill Sets proclaims he and his daddy and Uncle Saul are far from broke, in fact we found out they made $48 mil off of Bernie The Kid Madoff Field of Scheme ,so do they go toe to toe and dollar for dollar with the Bronx Bastards for Lackey’s services? Do the Texas Rangers get in the mix as well as Lackey is from outside of Dallas and rumors are he’d love to pitch in Arlington and for Nolan Ryan. What to do, what to do and how high to you go? 5yrs/$75-$80 mil which is AJ Burnett money ? As much as the Highlanders need another starter and all their bluster about going after stars, I don’t think even they can take on another contract like that. So let’s see how much hair Jeffey’s got on his balls and make that offer to Lackey and see if he turns it down.

Jason Marquis

Word on the street is Marquis wants to be a Met but at what price? Marquis made a shade under $10 mil last season, so what would be his price 3yr/$36-$40 mil ? He is a workhorse and he has won 10 or more games the last 6 years with last year and 2004 as 15 game win seasons but is he a number 2 starter ? More of a 3 or 4 if you ask me.

Randy Wolf

Omar Minaya fucked up royally last season when he didn’t sign Wolf. He now has a chance to redeem himself. After signing with the Dodgers last year for about $5mil, Wolf finds himself on the free agent stroll again and a two year with an option should be what it takes to sign this journeyman.

Aaron Harang

I have always been intrigued by Harang and if the Mets wanted him and are willing to pick up the bulk of his contract they could get him for a couple of low level minor leaguers. The last two seasons have not been good for Harang  and he is due $12.5 mil in 2010 and $12.75 in 2011 and if he is traded his contract calls for Harang to make $14 mil mutual option or a $2.5 mil buyout. If I were the Mets GM I’d grab Harang at worst he’s a solid 3 at best he’s a strong #2 and excellent compliment to Santana.  This is the best low risk high reward move the Mets could make.

Bronson Arroyo

If Omar wanted to break Mike Francesa’ heart he’s go after Mike’s Man-Crush Arroyo. Both Harang and Arroyo cleared waivers last summer as their price tags are prohibited. Arroyo is owed $11mil in 2010 with a club option of $11 mil in 2011 or a $2mil buyout. Would you deal for both Harang and Arroyo ? I’d be very tempted to go for both and  I don’t think the price would be outlandish but again the Mets would be taking on close to $24 mil in salary for both so that looks like a long shot but taking either Arroyo or Harang would be a plus for the Mets.

If you’re Omar you also have to at least kick the tires on Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets again low risk/high reward types. Both pitchers are coming off suergy and both can be had for 1 yr deals so why not take a look see.

So if I’m ranking who I’d go after to fill the starting rotation next season it would be:

1. Lackey

2. Harang

3. Arroyo

4. Marquis

5. Wolf

5a. Bedard

6 Sheets

I think Lackey is a pipe dream as it will take a lot of years and money to land him so I don’t see him as a Met. Harang and or Arroyo is a much better bet via trade and I can see either Marquis or Wolf in Mets clothing next year.

I guess I should be gracious and congratulated the Highlanders on not only winning the World Series but finally putting an end to this miserable baseball season, and thankful they ended before the season’s first snowfall.

For all of my fellow Mets fans who wanted Pedro Martinez on the team to fill a starters spot, and second thoughts? Even though Hideki Matsui has not had much success against Petey over the years, the way the at bat was going in the second inning you just knew Matsui was going to tag him. Matsui was like a boxer sizing up his opponent, jabbing, jabbing with foul balls, then just missing with a left but the jabbing again then going for the knockout with the home run.

The best line I read all morning came from Mike Vaccaro when talking about whether Charlie Manuel should have pulled Petey in third before Matsui plated two more runs with a single:

     Everyone inside the ballpark knew that Martinez had no shot against Matsui, who’d gotten so many great swings in that first at-bat, Then he pulverized a Pedro pitch that barely fell foul down the right-field line, missing a bases-clearing double by inches.

It was here, if Pedro’s name was Pete Martin and he wasn’t a proud future Hall of Famer, Charlie Manuel might have said “Enough!” and gone with a left-hander like the warming J.A. Happ to try to finish the at-bat and keep the Phillies close. But this isn’t Pete Martin. It’s Pedro Martinez. And he tried to sneak a fastball past Matsui that wouldn’t stay snuck. A two-run single followed. And the first bursts of bedlam fell from the stands.

Remember the praise I gave McCarver after Game 1? Well I would like to retract the compliment as Mac-C transformed back into Tim McFullofshit the rest of the way.

Remember back, oh about nine years ago when Matt Franco was a Met? Wasn’t it known that his uncle was none other than actor Kurt Russell? And didn’t Russell parade around in a Mets cap during the 2000 World Series? But now that his “step-daughter” Kate Hudson is shacking up with Alex Centaur-riguez he’s cheering for the Highlanders like he grew up on the Grand Concourse. And what’s up with Rudy Giulliani and his wax figure wife (and that hair Geez Louise Judy G find a stylist will ya!) looking like a couple waiting for the early bird special. And why does Rudy squint like that all time making that rat face?

Now that the 2009 baseball season is over, let’s role up our sleeves and get to work we got a lot to do. Grab a shovel!!!!

I don’t know what the pundits wanted Joe Giraridi to do other than pitch AJ Burnett on three days rest. Do these experts know the other choice to pitch is Chad Gaudin? The same Chad Gaudin who was cut by the Padres this season and a guy who has not thrown a baseball that counts in a month? You think Girardi enjoys being short in the starting pitching department? And why is he the bad guy here? Joey G has done a lot of things this post season to draw the ire of Highlander fans but their anger at JG on pitching Burnett on short rest is not his fault. The wrath of the fans should be on Pee Wee Cashman for not having the foresight to get a veteran starter (Gil Meche, Aaron Harrang to name two who would have been available) at the trade deadline. And by the way, when you sign a deal like Burnett did to pitch for the Highlanders who have to know what you do from April to September doesn’t mean jack shit, it’s what you do in the  post season where you earn your dough. Last night Burnett came up a few bucks short.

Anyone want to bet that Phil Hughes will be in the starting rotation in 2010? But it won’t be in the Bronx that’s for sure. Probably Pittsburgh or Kansas City I’d say.

On the FOX Pre-Game show last night, a show by the way, that makes Public Access TV look like Masterpiece Theater, host Chris Rose, who is so far over his head here he needs to go back to showing clips of golfers getting hit in the balls with their clubs, ask his panel of “Mad Men” extra Mark Grace, “Sufferin’ Succotash” Eric Karros and Charo’s  younger brother Ozzie Guillen, “if Derek Jeter is the greatest Highlander player ever”? At first the Gang of Three were as stunned with the ridiculous question in fact I was waiting for Guillen to throw out an F-Bomb and a scream out “PENDEJO”!!!! but no Oz said that not only was “Jeter God” he was the greatest Highlander ever. Well, I think that’s what he said because when Ozzie started talking I press the Closed Caption button on and my TV and on the screen it said “Are you fucking kidding”? Karros and Grace then agreed with Oz and I just sat there trying to pick up my jaw that his the ground. Jeter better than The Babe? Joe D? The Mick? The Iron Horse? Chicken Stanley? All right he’s a better hitter than Stanley but seriously has everyone lost their mind? His name is Derek Jeter not Derek Jesus.

Taking off my Mets cap and putting my Mets fandom aside for a moment, as a baseball fan I have to hope the Phuck Phaces win tomorrow night to not only set up a Game 7 but for the sheer joy of watching the flop swear flow from Highlander fans. Loosen them collars folks!

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.