I don’t have much ambition today; I mean when the folks down at St. Lonesome start Tweeting about parking spots, I know I have company in the “can’t get it together” mode. Seriously don’t you people get tired of busting on Daniel Murphy?

Ike Davis participated on a Q & A over at Baseball America and was quite entertaining I must say. Here a few of my favs:

Josh (New Jersey): What are the pressures of playing in a big media market like New York?

Ike Davis: I’m looking forward to play in NY. The only way to play baseball is to have pressure on yourself and to expect to win everyday.

{careful what you wish for Ike}

Matt (Cedar Rapids, IA):  What are your favorite things to do in your downtime?

Ike Davis: I fish and hunt as much as possible when I have free time.

{has there ever been a baseball player who didn’t like to fish and hunt? I’m waiting for the player who says he likes making scrapbooks and shadow box frames}

Rich (NY): How do you feel your time in Brooklyn during 2008 prepared you for playing in New York?

Ike Davis: Playing in Brooklyn gave me a look of how involved the fans are. They live and die with their teams in NY.

{how you going to keep them down on the farm after they’ve seen Mermaid Avenue ?}

steve (glenville ny): Which position do you like playing better right field, first base or pitcher? Which do you think you are best at?

Ike Davis: I would have to say first base because I have played it more but I don’t mind the outfield either.

{hummmmmmm this got me to thinking, what about Davis to RF and Murphy stays a first base ? }

Great column this morning by Kevin Kernan of the NY Post on Jason Bay. I’ve mentioned before I was in Boston and at Fenway when Bay made his debut for the Red Sox and taking the place of Manny Ramirez is a whole lot tougher than coming to a 90 loss team. You have to admit this little nugget from Bay is impressive:

“Having played in that market (Boston) it’s all about putting up numbers, regardless of where you are. I find it funny; you got the ‘best shape of my life’ routines. People don’t care if you come in the best shape of your life or not, just show up and produce. It’s all about production.”

“Show up and produce” simple and to the point. That should be the Mets motto for 2010.

USA-Switzerland

Russia-Canada

Finland-Czech Republic

Sweden-Slovakia

This is called hockey heaven !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.  

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.

The All Star break is over and we head for the second half of the season tonight on Pro Baseball Central we will discuss the Mets disappointing first half and what direction this team needs to take which  is one of the great complex question of our time, plus we will monitor the Mets-Braves game live. We will also talk about the NY Highlanders with our guest Rebecca Glass the author of the Highlander blog This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes. Join us live at 9PM EDST on Blog Talk Radio live or listen to the podcast at your leisure at our site or right here at TEKS.

After The Used Car Salesman ranted and raved about Manny Ramirez going to the bushes to get in shape before ending his 50 game sentence the Phillies after signing Petey to a $1.5 mil deal was placed on the 15 day DL with a “strained (wink-wink, nod-nod) shoulder. This was done because Petey wouldn’t sign a minor league deal so the Phills skirted the issue with the bogus DL placement. Am I a bitter jilted Mets fan? YES. Yes I am. I’m not rational when it comes with Petey going to the Cheesesteakers I’m the jilted lover who will now try to make his life miserable.

Kevin Youkils is lucky he didn‘t get more than hit in the elbow last night. Remember last season before Manny Ramirez was shipped out of Boston he kicked Youks ass as he got tired of him throwing his helmet after making an out in the Red Sox dugout.

Next on the walking wounded list is Ryan Church you claims to have teak a hammy so now the Mets will play two position players down.

Bravo Gary Cohen and I think I speak for the vast majority of Mets fans who HATE hearing Sweet Caroline at $iti Field. Please Gary you are the one with the ear of the nit wits in management. Your our only hope.

As far as Mets beat writers go I’ve always been fond of Adam Rubin in the Daily News but today reading his blog I have to say Rubin is as totally lost as the team he covers.

Rubin takes Mets fans to task for having the balls to boo David Wright after his woeful performance yesterday. As I’ve stated numerous times I’m not a boo-er as venting and cursing on the internet is my choice of expression but when the focus of yesterdays game and all of this lousy month of baseball is the fan reaction then more than the Mets organization is totally lost.

I’ ve said it time and time again where o’ where are the reporters who chase a story and give us, the fans what we want to know. The story so far this season is not the fans expressing their displeasure with not just Wright but with everyone not named Johan Santana. Why is it the fans know that this is just not in response to a lousy month of baseball but an under achieving two years and a month of baseball.

For some reason the press in this town is as soft as the Mets players they cover. Where is the baseball writer  with the balls of Larry Brooks of the NY Post who stood toe to toe with Rangers coach John Tortorella to get him to explain his melt down in DC in Game 5? Instead of Rubin chastising the Mets fans for booing how about chastising Omar Minaya and Jeffey Skill Sets for not have the cajones to sign both Manny Ramirez and Orlando Hudson. The Mets franchise is worth close to a billion dollars yet its run like a Job-Lot. Yeah yeah I know the Skill Sets are not cheap they have the second highest payroll in baseball yada, yada, yada but its misspent money. If there ever was a sure thing in baseball it’s Manny hitting and being a lighting rod and not giving a fuck about what people say about him. Ahhhhh what the fuck I’ve beat this issued to death, let’s just do like Rubin wants, give all the little Metsies a pat on the head and have Jerry Manuel give out orange slices to the boys in the 5th inning and have Jay Horowitz stand on the top step of the dugout yelling “YOU”RE ALL WINNERS”!!!!!!!!!! UGH!!!!

As much as I  hate the way J- Man has been managing this team lately especially the Santos for Shrek embarrassment yesterday, I have to give him credit on one count, he is setting up a showdown between him and Omar over personnel on this team. It’s about time someone challenged management around here. Manuel was no fan of Gimp Castillo’s but Omar couldn’t move Castillo any place so Manuel was stuck with him. But now that Santos has been better than both Shrek and Brain Schnieder, Manuel is flexing his muscle a bit and looks to be forcing Minaya to either deal Shrek or release him. This will be fun to watch.

So neither Carlos Delgado or Gimp were available to pinch hit yesterday so the Mets played with a depleated bench (which made the Santos pinch hitting adventure even more curious) and of course both players will be day to day for the next week until they go on the DL, oh and you know both will play a game so it will negate the retro active date.

If you want to here a grown man scream and yell then tune in to Pro Baseball Central tonight at 9PM EDST on Blog Talk Radio. Our guest tonight will be Bill Bear of the Phillies site Crash Burn Alley and we will preview the Mets-Phillies series this weekend. If you can’t listen live then check out the podcast by clicking on the link on the upper right of this page.

If  you’ve been a reader of this site for awhile you know there are not many words that bother me, I mean com’on there just words, what the fuck? right. But for some reason when someone calls another person a ”cancer” it sends my blood pressure to the god damn roof. So when I saw the story today that Johnathon Papelbon said that Manny Ramirez was a “cancer that had to be cut out”  I just found it so offensive. Believe me I’ve been called a lot of things in my life but to me you have got to have a lot of hate for someone to call them a cancer.

I know what Manny did to the Red Sox last year was awful and yes he did quit on them and that is reprehensible. But if you’re going to attack a guy why use the term cancer when a a simple asshole will do.

I can understand not wanting to spend over 45 mil for Manny Ramirez but you mean to tell me that with the first class facilities the Mets crow about down in St Lonesome, they couldn’t purchase or lease a state of the art MRI an fly down Dr. Altcheck for month in sunny FLA.  I still say the only reason that Johan Santana was not flown to NY is due to the 10 inches of snow that’s on the ground and still falling from the sky here in NYC

If you read the Daily News this morning you get the impression that Santana agrees with Old School Dan Warthen that he tried to accelerated his training so he could pitch in the WBC. If you read the NY Post they make it sound like Old School Dan Warthen made Santana throw to much and too soon. I think I‘ll stick with Adam Rubin’s reporting although I do think that it is not a coincidence that both Santana and Tim Redding, both coming off surgery, are both having arm trouble due to compensating from knee surgery in Johan’ case and foot surgery for Redding. Santana I mentioned wanted to make the WBC and Redding wants that number 5 spot in the rotation and sees the completion and looked to rush back a bit too soon. The organization has to tighten up it’s rehab policies here. They may have dodged a bullet here with Santana but hopefully they learned a lesson and look over their training regiment.

After Manny turned down the Dodgers offer last night, I must say I was stunned. I took a long hard look at Manny and Scott Boras and got past the outstanding right hand bat, the charismatic personality that is Manny Being Manny, the winning records of the teams he has been a member of, the dreds and I saw the Manny that Theo, Larry Lu and John Henry saw, a fucking imbecile.

It’s not just Manny but obviously Scott Boras has lost his mind as well. Where does Team Manny think another offer is coming from? San Francisco? Why? Why should Brain Sabean and Larry Baer do better than the Dodgers 2yr/$45 mil deal? Say they went 2yr/$50mil guaranteed are the Dodgers going to top that? No and why in the world would the Giants even make an offer now when they haven’t does so already?

It seems like Frank McCourt is dazed and confused over the negotiations:

 “We love Manny Ramirez,” said Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt, “And we want Manny back, but we feel we are negotiating against ourselves. When his agent finds those ‘serious offers’ from other clubs, we’ll be happy to re-start the negotiations.

“Even with an economy that has substantially eroded since last November, out of respect for Manny and his talents, we actually improved our offer.

“So now, we start from scratch.”

It kills me to say the Mets were right in not going after Manny, I wanted him here baddddddddddddly but after seeing him turn down a deal with the only team that had any interest in him I guess he really is Mindless Manny