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.

Jon Niese pitched seven-plus innings, but the Met offense was stopped by Bronson Arroyo to give the Amazins their first home series loss since May.

We have full audio coverage below.

Jerry Manuel

Jason Bay

Jon Niese

Alex Cora

Dusty Baker

Bronson Arroyo

For More Info contact Bob at TrainorComm@gmail.com.

Jason Fry has a great post on the events of last night game in D.C. and the fact as Mets fans we are on the edge of our seats when the Mets have a late inning lead. Part of it is our paranoia over the bullpen but the bulk of our fear is the way Jerry Manuel misuses his relief core. I also find it hysterical that some of the comments on that post are chastising fans for calling our the managerial flaws of Jerry Manuel with the simplistic refrain old “hey the team is winning he must be doing something right”  but the don’t list what those “right things”. Folks the Mets are winning in spite of Manuel, it helps that D-Wright has found his game elite game and Angel Pagan has matured and that Big Pelf, Jon Niese, Ike Davis and even Ruben Tejada have mature and given this team the shot of young blood we have been craving.

By the way Manuel should be fired for even thinking of replacing Ruben Tejada at second base with Luis Castillo when Castillo comes back. Even I don’t think Manuel believes that but it’s more like another of “Jerry’s Games” to force the front office to make a move, like he did with Ollie P and John Maine, remember he is a Gangsta’

Believe it or not the Washington Nationals are on the verge of signing El Duque. I guess Luis Tiant ask for too much money.

The first primary is complete and Howard Megdal received 65 % approval vote at Amazin’ Avenue and 68 % approval at NY Baseball Digest. Proving that Met want what Howard has pledged to deliver LOGIC, TRANSPARENSY, and PASSION .  Next weeks primary is set and your voting places are at the AabFab Metsgrrl site and at Mets Minor League Blog. It’s your constitutional duty as a Mets fan to vote and remember id Howard were the Mets GM today, Ruben Tejada would play every day and Oliver Perez would be his baseball Ambassador to Mexico.

I have no baseball games this weekend so I am watching this great Germany-Argentina World Cup match then Mets-Strasburg then off to Lend Me A Tenor on Broadway. Life is Good.

Angel Pagan had four hits, while Ike Davis chipped in with three as the Mets exploded after a 58 minute rain delay for an 8-run inning in route to a laugher.

We have full audio coverage below.

Ike Davis

Jon Niese

Jim Leyland

Justin Verlander

For More Info contact Bob at TrainorComm@gmail.com.

With management believing this is no fluke and the Mets will continue to play alert, aggressive baseball, there are serious discussions not whether they should trade, but whom to trade for – and just as important, whom they should not trade.

Their interest, despite this remarkable run by the rotation, must remain pitching. First rotation; second bullpen.

There is a sense of calm derived from how well Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey have pitched, and a feeling of optimism with Jon Niese’s run since coming off the disabled list.

Slots four and five are a house of cards.

R.A. Dickey, despite being sterling since coming up from Triple A, is sailing unchartered waters. There’s every reason to think, until he does this for another six weeks or so, that the magic dust might be blown off that dancing knuckler.

Afterall, the Mets have these few starts as a frame of reference, not a lengthy resume.

Hisanori Takahashi is pitching well overall, but has shown some cracks. Plus, he’s better suited for the bullpen, which, as a side note is getting a much deserved break during this stretch after being run into the ground in April and May.

And, seriously, who is really counting on John Maine and Oliver Perez? I mean, beside their mothers?

There are two names out there that stand out like neon on a dark night: Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee.

Either would look good in Met pinstripes. Because of the length of his contract (through 2012 with the option) the Astros don’t have to trade Oswalt. Consequently, he carries more value to the Astros to the Astros than Lee does to Seattle.

Because the Astros hold some leverage, he’ll cost the Mets a lofty price in prospects, plus the $39 million remaining on his contract if they pick up the club option.

Lee, however, will cost only prospects and the balance of his $8 million contract. Lee, however, has repeatedly said he wants to test the market, and reportedly that could mean as much as $23 million, which is Santana and CC Sabathia-type money.

Do the Mets really want to pay that much? I’m thinking no, even if it means draft choices in return.

However, reportedly the Mets are more interested in Lee than Oswalt, and depending on the prospects demanded, could opt for the rental.

For prospects – and they can’t all be high end if the Mets accept Lee moves – for a chance at October is worth it.

Seattle wants young pitching in return, which means either Niese or Jenrry Mejia. Both are too important to give up for a rental, plus if the Mets are thinking they could contend, dealing Niese for pitching makes no sense because they would still need to add a pitcher.

They aren’t going to trade a promising lefthander who already has tasted success and comes on the cheap for somebody who’ll be at LaGuardia moments after the season ends.

There are other intriguing options, such as Arizona’s Dan Haren, who’ll cost prospects and the balance of his contract, which is in the second year of a four-year (plus 2013 option) for $44.75 million package.

Other options to explore are Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook, or Oakland’s Ben Sheets. Oswalt and Lee are better, but far more costly, especially if the latter bolts.

As much as I believe Mejia should be in the minors learning to be a starter, I wouldn’t want to deal him for Lee unless I could sign him. I would be more willing to deal him for Oswalt or Haren, pitchers who figure to be here for several years.

In the end, I’m figuring the Mets to pursue Lee but eventually settle for a second tier arm.

I think they’ll keep both Niese and Mejia, but might have to deal from this group: Ruben Tejada, Josh Thole, Dillon Gee and Fernando Martinez.

Somebody good will have to go.

John Delcos has covered Major League Baseball for over 20 years, including more than ten in New York on the Yankees and Mets beats. You can read Delcos on his blog,http://www.newyorkmetsreport.com, where he hosts a chat room for each Mets game.

Do we really hope that Carlos Beltran comes back this season? This is not an anti-Beltran post, I like Beltran and I am in no means joining the Beltran contract worst in Mets history club just the contrary, he was the player the Mets needed to have at the time he signed his deal and he has produced offensively and defensibly to be the best center fielder in baseball. The reason I’m in no hurry to see him back is, I don’t see where he fits in with this Mets team.

The Mets have gone from a collection of talent to a cohesive team. Whereas the organization went out and brought in big names who made those names elsewhere (Glavine, Delgado, Martinez, Beltran to name four biggies) that Mets fans never warmed up to, now the fan base is giddy over the homegrown infield of Wright, Reyes, Tejada and Ike. Mets fans are also rooting harder for Jon Niese to make his mark and are glowing over once removed Met farmhand, Angel Pagan who has played not only productive baseball but smart baseball as well.

Even when it comes to who is the Ace of the Mets pitching staff, as much as we respect and hold Johan Santana in high regard to where he is his almost near home grown adulation, lots of Mets fans have anointed Mike Pelfrey as THE MAN for the Mets. We have watched Pelfrey go from a gawky pitcher who likes to lick his hands and sometimes space out on the mound to a stud pitcher who’s starts are now a reason to either make it to the TV or drop all plans and head to $iti Field.   

Jason Bay and Jeff Francouer have been big in this hot streak the Mets have been on this month but when you ask Mets fans about Bay they nod like “he’s ok” and Frenchy before this hot streak of his, Mets fans had him top of the non-tender list for this off season. As for Frankie Rodriguez, just check out Twitter when he comes in to close a game, it’s like someone in the car farted and the windows are all locked.    

Then we have Jenry Mejia who has been abused by the Mets to the point that Mets fan have been calling Child Services to have him removed from Jerry Manuel Torture Chamber (a/k/a The bullpen) That Mejia has not been allowed to grow in his craft in the Mets minor league system is a serious crime to all Mets fans, as we want Mejia to grow strong and add that 97 mph fastball to the rotation of Pelfrey and Niese. The handling of Mejia this season is the baseball equivalent of the 2 year old kid smoking two packs of cigarettes a day in Indonesia STOP THE ABUSE!!!!    

Back to Beltran for a moment, the Mets have a nice little run going here and if or when Beltran comes back where does he play? If he goes back to his home in centerfield then does that move Pagan to the bench? Or does the mean a platoon of Frenchy and Pagan in RF? Can Beltran cover the ground he used to now that he will wear a knee brace to play? If he can’t then does he move to right field knocking Frenchy to the bench? Loads of questions here and that’s why maybe for the good of the team, it’s better that Beltran is taking his time coming back and if you’re the Mets front office do you secretly hope he doesn’t come back?

don’t forget to check out my THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN Shop at Cafe Press

Depending on what “friend” you talk to, Oswalt would also accept trades to Philadelphia, St. Louis, the Yankees and Washington Nationals. However, if it means getting out of Houston, a chance at the playoffs and perhaps an extension, the list of places suddenly favorable to Oswalt could grow.

The Mets have been getting sterling pitching from rotation fill-ins RA Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi – together they are 9-2, but Takahashi is only 2-1 as a starter – but that’s not to say all their pitching concerns have been answered.

We don’t know how long this run will last as neither Dickey nor Takahashi are proven over the long haul. We don’t know that about Jon Niese, either, and John Maine continues to throw 88.

If the Mets are to get Oswalt, they should strike now while it is early. The closer to the deadline, the more the Astros will be asking.

After standing pat over the winter in the pitching market, general manager Omar Minaya has a chance to add an ace that would make his rotation arguably the best in the National League with Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey and Oswalt.

However, there comes a price tag, not only in terms of prospects, but in dollars.  Oswalt is owed $31 million for the remainder of this year and $16 million next season, and a $16 million club option for 2012 (also includes a $2 million buyout).

That’s pricey, but he would make the Mets formidable for the next three years.

Oswalt also makes more sense than Cliff Lee in that his cost is definable, while Lee wants to test the market. Trading for Lee over Oswalt would be foolish, as it would be dealing for a hired gun because he’s gone after the year.

Oswalt would represent less a risk than Lee. He is somebody the Mets should roll the dice with — now.

Here we go again. Just when it looked like the season was slipping away the message out of $iti Field is “not so fast my pessimistic Mets fan” this could be the start of an exciting summer.

I want to dance up and down and shoot middle fingers at the rest of the NL but I can’t because this team still has needs and I’m not confident that ownership will provide it.

It’s safe to assume that Jeffey Skill Sets is calling all the shots around here that Omar Minaya not only is under a gag order when it comes to speaking in public but his ability to make baseball moves has been clamped down as well. In a way Omar and Oliver Perez have a lot in common both have been rendered insignificant.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying this recent run of winning and solid baseball being played by the Mets but as Bobby Valentine says “you’re only as good as your next day starting pitcher” so today we’re in good shape with Big Pelf and tomorrow Johan Santana against the Brewski’s looks great as well, but when does the clock strike twelve on R.A. Dickey and the mystery fifth starter (playing the role of Jon Niese this weekend will be Fernando Nieve)?

At this point as much as I feel, along with what looks like the majority of Mets fans, that Jenry Mejia should have been working on his starting pitcher apprenticeship in the minors, at this point now let him stay with the big club as a reliever. Mejia seems to be settling in role of late inning man and the rest of the pen has been solid now that Igarashi is back so adding a solid starting pitcher should be paramount to management to go out and get.

So who is out there? As much as Roy Oswalt would be a huge acquisition between the money and cost in personnel and trying to get a deal done with Drayton McClain is almost impossible, I doubt that Oswalt will be Queens bound. Cliff Lee as a rental could be cost prohibitive as well.  If the front office could land Kevin Millwood, Mark Buehrle, or even Jake Westbrook it make a huge difference in solidifying the rotation and sending a message to the players and fan base that there is a real commitment to winning.

  21 days until pitchers and catchers

It looks like Fernando Tatis is retuning for a third season with the Mets. Please hold your applause until the end, thank you. If you look at the offensive numbers on Tatis’ Baseball-Reference page you might be inclined to say this is a good deal for the Mets.  I’ll go as far as say I’m happier with Tatis coming back just for the fact that it means that Carlos Delgado’ career as a Met is done.  Last night on Twitter I was angry about the Tatis return but by this morning I’m more, “eh, whatever”. I’m tired of ranting about the off season and the mish-mosh ways of the organization, that has both the fan base and media baffled, I guess it’s time we just let it play out, we’ll have all summer to scream and yell.   

Look at this from John Smoltz point of view, what was good for Pedro Martinez could be good for him as well. Why sign with a team this early when you can workout on your own, play golf, even do some TV if you like and then wait to see the pitching landscape during the season and make the best deal you can.

As much as I can’t stand the way ownership and the front office fuck up and the on field personnel play like amateurs, there is no way I could ever, ever root against the Mets. I don’t care if a loss meant that the Jeffey, Omar, and J-Man all get the boot, I would never and have never rooted against the Mets. If I didn’t root for the Cincinnati Reds when Tom Seaver was traded and pitched against the Mets, I’m sure as hell not going to root against them now. Root against the Mets? Never in a million fucking years !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t understand J-Man saying that Fernando Nieve is the front runner for the 5^th spot in the pitching rotation? Not to get to worked up over the 5^th spot (when spots 2-4 are not exactly the Rocks of Gibraltar) but where does Jon Niese or Nelly Figs fit with this team? How about Bradley Holt or Dillon Gee? Why is J-Man so against competition? Why am I full of questions?

No matter what happens this season, I’m rooting hard for my boy Daniel Murphy to put up big time numbers. No one on this team works as hard as Murphy and I just hope his hard work pays off and he just hangs in there until Wally Backman gets the job with the big club. Am I a Daniel Murphy fanboy? Yes. He is everything we Mets fans want in a player. Shows up for mini-camp when he’s not required to (Jose? Jose Reyes? Are you here? Come out, come out ,wherever you are!) will be the first guy at St Lonesome waiting for the gates to open for spring training (it will be neck and neck with him and D-Wright) and is working hard to improve at the fourth positions the Mets have assigned him to. How can you as a Mets fan not root for this kid?    

No Pro Baseball Central tonight but I will be on the with Kenrick Thomas and his Real Sports Talk Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio tonight at 10PM ET.

There is a group NYRNation that is planning a FIRE GLEN SATHER rally outside of Madison Square Garden on Sunday March 7^th  at 5PM before the Rangers-Sabres game. It is getting very ugly at MSG as the Rangers find themselves in the middle of 10 teams look at the 7 and 8 spot in the NHL playoffs. In fact the Rangers are a mirror of the Mets. Underachivers, Bad Management, Clueless Owner!

So the Oakland A’s have made a competitive offer to Ben Sheets and want and answer not later than tomorrow. Okay, what is a competitive offer and how many competitors are in this race? From all the innuendo we’ve heard on Sheets, the Mets, A’s and Texas Rangers are in the loop. Rumor is Sheets’ management is looking for an $8 mil base plus incentives for this year and an option for 2011. Now as much as I would love to have Ben Sheets on the Mets, but $8mil for a pitcher who could be a either a stud or a cripple is a tough decision to make. But then again the Mets did give Alex Cora $2mil bucks to be a leader on the bench.

I can not see any way that the A’s would give Sheets $8 mil even the Rangers, as they go through a transition of ownership, would have a hard time paying that kind of coin.

If I’m the Mets I call Sheets’ agent and offer $6mil guarantee with incentives that could go to $10mil if reached (post season starts include in that) and a mutual option for 2011. Then take the other $2 mil and give that to John Smoltz.

If they can do that, not only solidifies the pitching staff but I’ll get off managements back for a while and maybe even praise them for a job well done.

So far the Mets Mini-Camp has proved that OP is great shape and that Johan Santana will again try to help Ollie as much as he can both with his pitching and with his psyche. Jon Niese took the mound for the first time since he ripped his hammy and felt pretty good. Daniel Murphy is a camp and is doing what most fans wish all the players would do, work hard and try to get better but he still catches hell. Wait until he gets traded and becomes a solid ML’er, I will be insufferable or more insufferable than I already am, if that’s possible. 

Kevin Kernan seconds my position that the injury excuse from last year was a smoke screen to how badly last years team executed all facets of the game.   Time for Jerry Manuel to Man Up this spring and prove that he can manage and teach and to prove that he is just not waiting to get canned so he can go back to Sacramento and collect a check sitting on his porch.

I still baffles me how the Skill Sets don’t get upset or try to change the perception of their organization after time and time again being told they run one of the worst organizations in baseball. At some point you need to show some spine and fight back. Everyone from media to fans to bloggers keep kicking the organization in the ass waiting for them to fight back. It’s at the point now where I feel like a bully for calling out the Skill Sets as often as I do, they just take all these kicks in the ass and ask for more. It’s more sad than strange. Com’on Jeffey show some fucking fight will ya!!!!!!