So much for the talk of $iti Field being a detriment to the Mets winning. Talk about ‘there’s no place like home” Welcome to Citi Field Home of Citi Ball. It’s a little bit of small ball, a dash of long ball and three parts big balls pitching.

Not only did the Mets take two series from the Taliban (Highlanders) and Al-Qeda (Phuck Phaces) of MLB they did it with the one thing that all winning Mets teams have possessed, outstanding pitching and timely hitting. Now the challenge is to do it on the road as the Mets have an NBA team like split of 19-9 at 126^th & Roosevelt Ave and an embarrassing 6-14 when the bags are packed, that has to change and change this on this road trip to show the league and Mets fans that this run of success is not a mirage.

It’s quite obvious that “as goes Jose Reyes, so goes the Mets” is not hyperbole, when it’s Jose Being Jose, hitting line drives in the gaps, running like his feet are on fire, making tremendous defensive plays, and reacting with all the animation of a Looney Tunes cartoon, the team and the fans feed off the Jose Reyes Experience and I for one am glad it’s back by popular demand.   

I could’ve done without Big Pelf doing his Dice K imitation last night with the five free passes but other than that, the continuation of the Summer of Pelf was a pleasure to watch.  Now that Big Pelf has incorporated the split-finger fastball with great success mixed in with his 90+ FB effective slider and a much better curveball and the big ingredient, maturation what we are seeing is the blossoming of a star pitcher that is quite impressive.

I like to compare Hisanori Takahashi to the late Bob Ross of the Joy of Painting, he makes pitching look so easy. Takahashi’s “happy little trees” is his fastball that he places on the inside strike zone and outside strike zone and maybe one here up in the strike zone or one here down and in. It’s like Takahashi has a baseball palette on the mound, just mix a little bit of fast ball with some slider to create at a cutter, just a little bit of slider on those bristles, oh that one is out of the strike zone ? Not a problem we can fix that it’s just a happy little accident. That’s Hisanori Takahashi pitching in his moment of Zen.

You know something, the way the Mets are treating Oliver Perez is better than just releasing him. The Mets have become Amish elders with Perez as he is shunned by management for not accepting assignment to Buffalo. Ollie has become a non-factor on this team, only to be used in blowout conditions. Here are the Mets scrambling for a starter for Saturday and the names being tossed around are Raul Valdes, or R.A. Dickey on three days rest or just let Fernando Nieve start as a resurrection of the spot starter, not one mention of letting Ollie P take the mound. I wonder if Perez is bright enough to be embarrassed about this?        

As long time readers here know, I am not a big fan of Mike Piazza. I acknowledge the he is arguably the best offensive catcher of all time and a first ballot Hall of Famer and I hope he goes in as a Met. But he always struck me as a me guy and a phony because in my opinion, he was more concerned about his personal stats than winning baseball games. However, when it comes to speculation that he was a steroid user all of those who come out and say that Piazza used PED’s , show your proof or shut the fuck up. Show the test results that separates fact from fiction and I’m looking square at you Murray Chass you old broken down fucking hack. I wish Piazza would sue you for defamation of character to expose you as the irresponsible dolt that you are. If you want to read Chass’ bullshit post, Google it, there will be no links to his site here ever!!!!!!

Well one thing the 2010 Mets aren’t lacking in is drama, with ex-Mets trying to school new Mets and the bullpen coach telling the Diva Closer to shut the fuck up and the manager’s job status as volatile as the Dow Jones this is becoming a lot of fun.

I remarked on Twitter last night that I wondered where R.A. Dickey leaves his shopping cart during games. Dickey looks like the guys you avoid at the supermarket who bring in cans and bottles for the nickel deposit. Dickey has been outstanding in these last two starts and a huge upgrade over the Ritalin Kid that’s for sure. Plus the Dickey jokes on Twitter never get old.

Speaking of Dickey, did you get a look at what has been reported as Evan Longoria’s manhood? If I were packing something like that it would be the picture on my drivers license. Most definitely NSFW

I saw the video of the squirrel that ran on the grass at Target Field during last nights Twins-Highlanders game. The squirrel really looked lost and confused as he ran around out of control to the point the game had to be held up. The squirrel, who was identified as Rocket J. Squirrel of Frost Bite Falls MN said he was looking for the Tony O’s Cuban Sandwich concession stand when he got disoriented, he claims with the ball park’ so new he was still trying to find his way around the place.

I am definitely getting myself an I LIKE IKE t-shirt

Nelson Figueroa is the first player in the history of professional sports to get screwed over by a team. Give it a break Nelly Figs will ya!

After the Mets defeated the Phuck Phaces last night I had the pleasure of talking to Bill Baer of Crashburn Alley a member of ESPN Sweet Zone blogs (as well as Baseball Prospectus Baseball Digest Daily and Heater Magazine) on my THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN show last night. You can check out the podcast right there a Kranepool Society (see the player on the lower left sidebar) or at my show page at Blog Talk Radio or downloaded it to your iPhone, iTouch, or iPod at iTunes.

 

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.

 

 

My ambition meter is on empty today so I’m just warning you.

Weather wise it is one miserable day in NYC, rain and cold and just the kind of day to stay home and do nothing, which is what I plan to do. The forecast calls for the rain to stop or just go to drizzle and from the sound of things Game 1 of the Satan Series should go off on time. Whoop-Dee-Fucking-Do.

Don’t if you seen this video of the Phuck Phace fan and the on-air, reporter but all I can say is stay classy scrapple eaters.

Remember back in the summer when Brian Brunney was talking shit about Frankie Rodriguez and Rodriguez sort him out “meet you in the school yard” style?  Funny, but Brunney’ season went to shit after that didn’t it?

Do you miss Willie Randolph? “We’re  battling, We’re fighting…….I’ll be out of a job soon”

Ok, stop crying check this one out and wipe your tears.

WE GOT THE TEAMWORK, TO MAKE THE DREAM WORK…LETS GO METS.   

Keep the faith fellow Mets fans, KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 (do we have to go through the whole Kenny Rogers walk to Andruw Jones scenario that tends to cloud the fact that Rosalita Lieter did not get out of the first inning…….no more I can’t talk about that game or that series anymore……..the pain….the agony……the defeat…..)

 

have we Mets fans been stuck with the lesser of two scumbag teams and have to decide which teams victory is the least painful for us, if it comes down to a Highlanders-Phuck Faces World Series. There is no rooting interest. What we have is which team do we hate the most and want to inflict the most pain on its fan base? Which team’ fans do we want to see so fucking miserable that they get angry enough to destroy their own ball park, burn cars, loot stores and turn on each other in an Un-Civil War? That my friends, has Philadelphia written all over it.  For me, the lesser of the two evil bastards are the Highlanders. Beside I live in NYC I don’t want to see it destroyed. Philadelphia on the other hand that would be an improvement.

 

If it comes down to the Highlanders-Phuck Phaces in the World Series, you know there will be mass civil unrest in Philly that would make the Taliban look like an Adventure’s Club.

 

Look, either way we’re fucked. I work in downtown Manhattan, you think I’m going to work if there is a parade down Broadway ? Hell to the NO!!!!! So a Highlander win costs me a vacation day. But a Phuck Phace win causes me anger and just the thought of putting up with Phuck Phace fans, who are so bad they make Highlander fans tolerable.

 

Vacation days I have, paitent and understanding,  nah never have, never will.

But first a WARNING: If you have to pee do it now and do not drink anything while watching this. This sums up my one dumb phuck that are Phillie fans. You may click here!