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.

Not much from me today between running around doing errands and it being so damn hot, lots of perspiration not much inspiration today.

Loved what I saw from Johan Santana last night. I guess he got tired of of all the “what’s wrong with Santana” from the fans and media. It’s not just that he told Jerry Manuel to go sit down but he pitched a complete game shutout against a Reds team that is the best hitting team in the league.

Great post by Eric Simon on Amazin Avenue today on the educating fans on how to read saber stats and understand what the numbers tell us.  Gary Cohen got the ball rolling on this with his take on BAPIP during this past weekends telecast. Simon picked up on this and by explaining what the number tell us will hopefully convert the non-sabermetic believers .  I have to admit the one class I cut out of regularly during high school years  was math. I hate math and sometimes when I read the sabermetric sites, the charts and graphs lose me, just tell me what time it is I couldn’t give a shit how the clock was made and it seems Eric Simon is going to help me out and tell me the time of day.

Speaking of saber vs. non saber check out this video

If the Pirates take Eddie Kunz for Octavio Dotel then we have a deal

Check out my THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN Radio show from last night as myself and Dan Epstein author of Big Hair and Plastic Grass, A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging 70′s

Don’t forget the polls are open at MetsGrrl and Mets Minor League Blog to vote in the primary for Howard Megdal for Mets GM

Johan Santana tossed a shutout and hit his first major league home run to lead the Mets and tie the series.

We have full audio coverage below.

Johan Santana

Jason Bay

Jose Reyes

Frankie Rodriguez

Dusty Baker

Joey Votto

Matt Maloney

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

Pelfrey didn’t lose last night because he didn’t get a couple of calls. He lost because of his reaction to not getting those calls.

Whereas Pelfrey had been composed most of this season, he became flustered and unnerved. Whereas he had minimized damage he dug himself into a hole the Mets could not dig out of. His body language spoke of frustration and anger.

Pelfrey couldn’t stop the bleeding. He didn’t do his job, which, is when things go awry to remember he still needs to get outs.

“I thought, for the first time in over a year, I let my emotions get the best of me,’’ Pelfrey said. “And, that wasn’t very good on my part.’’

Pelfrey’s last few starts did not have the crispness he’s had all season.  He gave up seven runs last night and 11 in his past two starts, neither of which he made it out of the fifth. He’s given up runs in the first inning of his last six games. All of a sudden, he’s been susceptible to the home run.

While the All-Star talk has died down, it’s too early to say if he’s regressed of simply hit a rough patch. Maybe he’s going threw a dead arm period. I don’t know. But, what I do know is Pelfrey has pitched too good for too long in the first half for panic.

That he acknowledged his downfall and accepted responsibility is a great sign, another step in his ascension to becoming an All-Star caliber pitcher.

Perhaps more than any other start he’s made in the first half, Saturday’s game against Atlanta could be his most interesting if not revealing.

This not a woe- is- us post or a bash Omar and management post as we will have all summer for those, no this one is let’s get on the phone and find a shortstop post because even when (if ?) Reyes comes back, the days of him playing 150+games look to be over.

So who is out there for the Mets ? First off, forget about getting a replacement for Reyes, the Mets are going out and getting anyone close to what Reyes brings to the table, so the player you need to go after has to be a defense first shortstop and the first name that pops into my head is Paul Janish of the Reds. Janish is a terrific defender and makes just $435K which fits into the Skill Sets budget. Jed Lowrie of the Red Sox could be had for a song (and maybe a dance) too bad Wilson Valdez has let go to Cleveland as he had a slick glove as well.

Who I don’t want to see is Alex Cora or Anderson Hernandez. No knock on Cora, once or twice a week is ok for him to play but he is no longer an everyday player and Hernandez shouldn’t even be in camp as he’s as done as a Christmas ham.

It looks though as if the Mets will go with Ruben Tejada and I guess Cora twice a week. But I would still try to find a guy like Janish or Lowrie to spell Reyes this year once a week at least. It’s not like I’m nailing Cora to the bench, he can play some second base when the Tree Stump needs a day off.

25 days until opening day YIPPEE-EYE-O-KI-A  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After reading the article it looks like a few people need to get a pink slip and I am ever so closely looking at the seating availability on the FIRE OMAR bandwagon. I’m not ready to but a ticket on the band waggon just yet but it’s clear there needs to be a purge of some front office employees in this organization.

Also in the aarticle Rubin shines some light on the medical issues that plague this team and it seems our anger toward the doctors is misguided as it should be pointed at the Omar, Tony B and the trainers.

The crack of the bat will be supplanted at Citi Field July 10th by a louder, tastier sound as all fans attending that evening’s Mets-Reds game are invited to participate in the Big City Crunch, an attempt to set the Guinness World Record™  for most potato chips ever crunched at once.

            Every fan entering the Mets’ new ballpark for the 7:10 p.m. game will receive a .75-oz. bag of Wise Potato Chips, courtesy of Wise Snacks and the New York Mets.  At the designated time, fans will be instructed to open their individual package and, when given the go-ahead, take a big bite of a chip and CRUNCH.

Representatives of Guinness World Recordsâ„¢ will be on hand to record the occasion and, if all necessary criteria are met, shortly thereafter certify that a world record has been set.

We will be joined tonight by Ben Kabak of the Yankees blog River Ave Blues as we talk Yankee baseball   Join us live by clicking here or enjoy the podcast by clicking on the links on the righ tof this page

 

I don’t give a rats ass about the numbers and Hall of Fame credentials Pepsodent smile and all that, my favorite Mets catcher of all time is was and may forever be Jerry Grote. Not even close. Go ahead flame my ass about this I don’t give a fuck you hear me all you Piazza and Carter fans.  My guy Grote was the original Captain Red Ass.  Nobody fired a ball back to a pitcher (including The Franchise) with purpose like Grote did.  Add in the fact that he wore a wool baseballall cap with the bill turned up (no protective helmet for him) that my young whipper snappers readers was a man’s catcher.

So why the “Get off my lawn” diatribe you wonder? Well the good folks at The Hardball Time have an outstanding post on the comparison between Mike Piazza, Pudge Rodriguez and <head bowed> Johnny Bench that fired my middle aged ass up this morning

For all my love of Grote I also have a deep respect and admiration for JB. In fact last time I was up in Cooperstown I bought a Reds t-shirt with BENCH 5 on the back. Check out the posting as it breaks down all three’s offensive and defensive numbers   

Still, the guy I want behinf the plate for my team is Jerry Grote.  Now GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!