Sorry, I’m just standing here wondering what all the hubbub is over Mark McGwire’ admission on his steroid use last night. The best part of the evening was watching the sanctimonious Tom Verducci and Ken Rosenthal not accepting McGwire’s mea culpa. I love how Verducci, Rosenthal and Jon Heyman are now all over McGwire and the rest of the Steroid Sluggers but never confronted them or did any investigative reporting during that era but now they’ve all become holier than thou. Th eonly reporter who spoke up at that time was Steve Wilstein of AP who asked about the bottle of Andro in McGwire’s locker. Too bad MLBN didn’t have him on.  

By the way I still have a few questions for Big Mac than Bob Costas failed to hit on. “Who got you the dope”? “Did it occur to you that this was a Federal crime having illegal narcotics “? Were you willing to pay any price to succeed in the game even if it meant getting arrested and going to jail”? “Who instructed you on how to administer the PED’s”?

I love how the panel on MLB Network was up in arms by McGwire saying he didn’t think the drugs made him better, he said he took them for the sole purpose of helping recover from a string if injuries he suffered from. Sure you can call bullshit on that statement but like Rick Peterson says “In God we trust, all others bring data” in other words, It’s all opinion on how much affect the drugs had on his home run total. That’s not to say I don’t agree with those who feel the PED’s didn’t help him jack up his HR total, it’s just that I can’t prove it.

Last word on this whole situation, I have never been a fan of Tony LaRussa but I will say this for TLR, he is one loyal son of a bitch. He has had McGwire’ pock marked back all these years and still has it.

I’ll take this as good news. Seven Train to Shea quotes a Twitter feed from Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse saying that Carlos Delgado is not moving to well around first base. If the move was strictly Omar’s, Delgado would have been re-signed by the Mets already but it looks like Omar has doesn’t have final say on personnel matters anymore. This off season has not been a typical Omar Minaya off season. The Mets are much more patient, to the point of Mets fans screaming in panic (me included) I guess that’s we are used to, the Omar Way. Let’s face it, if Omar had full autonomy Bengi Moilina would be sitting with a 3yr guaranteed contract right now.

Also on Ed Price’ Twiiter feed he claims Mets are talking 2yr/$15 mil contract for Joel Piniero

The thought of free-agent left fielder Matt Holliday signing with the Mets is good for a chuckle. Some who know Holliday say he would prefer not to play in New York. Also, his power to right-center makes him a poor fit for Citi Field. The Mets would not be so desperate to upgrade in left if Fernando Martinez had justified talk that he might be a left-handed Manny Ramirez …

Hey Ken , who’s Holiday’s agent ? Scott Bora$ right? Bora$ will have Holiday sign with the Tehran Burkamakers if the price is right. Who’s your source on this one, the same source who told you that no way C.C. Sabathia would never come to New York, Money talks, and bullshit is employed by FOX, dickhead.

Dierkes also puts Randy Wolf and Brad Penny in Mets Blue and Orange. Wolf I can see but Brad Penny? Unless it’s to work as a bouncer at the Acela Club I don’t see it.

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.

Ken Rosenthal, who first reported this, wrote the deal will look something like this:

Under terms of the deal, the Mets would get Putz, outfielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green from Seattle. The Mariners would receive reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez and first baseman Mike Carp from the Mets. They’d also get Franklin Gutierrez from the Indians and minor leaguers. The Indians would get reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and infielder Luis Valbuena from Seattle.

All in all a good deal for the Mets, because they lose no one of consequence and get back equal value.