Dickey (7-4) was able to stretch his scoreless streak this afternoon, to a career-best 17.0 consecutive innings, which dates back to the fifth inning of his start on July 20^th at Arizona. Along with stretching his scoreless streak Dickey helped to lead the Mets to their major-league leading 14^th shutout of the year.

It was noticed by Dickey along with young catcher Josh Thole saw that sometimes the knuckleball wasn’t going to always make the other team swing and miss, so instead today the two were able to have a game plan which kept the Cardinals off balance.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel was impressed with how the starter could recognize that saying, “Yes, especially for a pitch like the knuckleball, which is difficult to tell what direction it is going to go, even for the catcher. He and Josh have worked very well together to identify what makes them successful.”

Thole who has had the opportunity to catch Dickey in Triple-A affiliate Buffalo noticed one change in the starter, “His secondary pitches make the difference.  It helps to have those secondary pitches and he has really worked on them and it has made him a more successful pitcher.”

“I tried to change speeds and was able to keep them (the Cardinals off balance today,” Dickey said of his start. “The trend for anytime a pitcher has a shutout is when that pitcher has command of the strike zone and I was able to do that today.”

For St. Louis starter Blake Hawksworth was the recipient of a tough loss in this afternoon’s game (4-7) going six innings, giving up seven hits and four runs along with three walks and three strike outs.

In a game which featured many ground balls along with some fine defensive plays neither team was able to get on the board until the bottom of the third inning. Jose Reyes got the Mets going by ripping a double (18) to right field. Reyes was able to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, which dates to July 19^th 2010. Outfielder Angel Pagan followed with a ground ball infield single, which thanks to his speed he was able to beat out and set the stage for rookie sensation Ike Davis.

Davis lifted the first pitch in his at bat over the Nikon sign in center field for his 15^th home run of the season, and gave the Mets a comfortable 3-0 lead. For Davis, who had a day off in yesterday’s game,  the 15 homers are the fifth-most by a Mets rookie in franchise history, holding the overall record is the future Met Hall of Famer Darryl Strawberry with 26 in 1983.

On being able to provide clutch hitting in his first year with the club Davis said, “It is all about the confidence you have as a hitter, you need to be able to go up to the plate and have confidence in your swing. You can have that exact same swing but if you don’t have confidence it won’t go very far.” The first baseman continues by saying, “If I hit it well enough I expect the ball to go out of the park. If I am able to get the barrel of the bat to center or to right, I know for sure it will go out. I just wanted to stay through it and not roll it over.”

Dickey would continue to keep the Cardinals guessing in the top of the fifth inning. One huge ground out was when second baseman Skip Schumaker to hit into a infield double play, along with getting  Yadier Molina to hit into another ground out on a nice backhanded play by rookie Mike Hessman, who was playing third base for New York in the game. Hessman looked good making two nice backhanded grabs in the hot corner in this afternoon’s game.

The Mets would get on the board one last time in the bottom of the fifth inning as Angel Pagan ripped a triple (7) to the right field crevice. Center fielder Carlos Beltran would plate that fourth New York run by lacing a single to left field to give New York the 4-0 lead.

“I am good to go and I just want to be out there and help the team win,” Beltran said after the game. “The main thing for me is that I need to come into the ballpark before the game and do my pre-game routine, which started in St. Lucie, and it will be something that stays with me for the rest of my career.”

Ground balls would continue to greet the Mets infielders as Dickey would induce seven alone in the later innings to keep the Cardinals off the board. In the top of the eighth inning the starter found some trouble as the rain started to come down as Schumaker hit a single to right field to try to start the Cardinals offense, a wild pitch placed the runner on second for pitch hitter Randy Winn. Dickey was able to get out of trouble by getting a hard hit ground ball to Alex Cora to end the inning.

“It is great for us to play behind Dickey,” Davis said after the game. “It is hard sometimes when the pitchers throw the balls outside the strike zone then we stay on your heels a little, but Dickey works so fast and he keeps us on our toes.”

New York would try to add one last run in the bottom of the eighth as Hessman was hit in the shoulder by Cardinal reliever Mike MacDougal. Jose Thole worked a walk to have runners on first and second for Jeff Francoeur. Unfortunately for the 40,087 the outfielder hit a high pop up to first base for the first out. Alex Cora worked a walk, before Dickey hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out. The bases were loaded for Jose Reyes, who hit a hard ground ball for the final out of the inning.

Top of the ninth inning was greeted by a huge cheer as Dickey took the hill to close out the game. Pinch hitter Colby Rasmus singled to center for the fourth St. Louis hit. Felipe Lopez advanced Rasmus on a ground ball to Ike Davis for the first out. A walk to rookie Jon Jay placed runners on first and second for the dangerous duo of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. Dickey would not find out how he would have fared against the two big bats as manager Jerry Manuel called for reliever Francisco Rodriguez who got the last two outs and sealed the 4-0 victory for New York.

“This is one of those wins that you point too and hope that it can turn your season around, “Dickey said. “Yesterday was a heartbreaker, but we had no time to think about it. Today you really saw the character of this team and we really have a shot until the end of the season.”

The Mets will now open a three game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks as righty Mike Pelfrey (10-5, 4.00 ERA) takes on Ian Kennedy (5-8, 4.10 ERA) in a 7:10 p.m. Friday night game at Citi Field.

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Trade News: The National League East got a whole lot tougher today as the Philadelphia Phillies acquired Roy Oswalt in a trade with the Houston Astros in exchange for pitcher J.A. Happ and minor league prospects Jonathan Villar and Anthony Gose.

Story originally posted on www.latinosports.com

THIS IS A PICTURE FROM TEN MILE RIVER CAMP SITE AND THAT IS THE SAME TYPE OF TENT I SLEPT IN THAT LAST WEEK

It’s good to be back especially with the concrete beneath my feet. A week in the wilds of Sullivan County is fine but for the life of me, I don’t get why anyone would want to live up there, especially in the winter, it’s the classic nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live here. So with a good wiff of the stink of the NYC Subway and a 1970’s like NYC heat wave in full swing, it’s time to look at our favorite baseball. This could be a rocky ride so as always fasten your seat belts.

All jokes aside, MLB has to be embarrassed by the umpiring crew in yesterday’s Mets-Giants game. Phil Cuzi really embarrassed himself behind the plate with his ameba strike zone and his overall unprofessionalism. His calling out Travis Ishikawa was bad but the call on Aubrey Huff’ worm killer in front of the plate that was clearly a fair ball, but 3^rd base ump Mike Easterbrook said it hit Huff’s foot. Not even close, and by the way, when did this trend of base umpires start overruling home plate umps on plays that are clearly the man behind the plates call? It’s an awful trend and Mike Port the man in charge of these inept arbiters needs to fix and fix it fast as MLB can not have another disaster of post season when it comes to its officials like it did last year.

As I stated in a Tweet last night, I am fully convinced that the role of “closer” is the most overrated position in all of sports. Unless you’re the Highlanders, paying a guy tens of millions dollars to pitch one inning is fucking ridiculous. The only difference right now between Frankie Rodriguez as a Met and Armando Benitez’ days of Metsdom is Rodriguez doesn’t run and hide after his hideous performance. As much as we scream and yell about the contracts of Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez, the Rodriguez deal is just as rancid. Frankie Rodz will make $11.5 mil in 2011 but the killer is in 2012 where Rodriguez has a $17.5 mil option ($3.5 mil buyout). The option kicks in if Rodriguez finishes 55 games in 2011 or 100 games combined in 2010 and 2011 or doctors declare him healthy in 2011. That’s $17.5 MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For agita.

Did you ever think that the return of Luis Castillo from injury would be good news? Ruben Tejada is a nice player but he is showing he’s not ready for an everyday spot and Alex Cora shouldn’t even be in the big leagues but if he’s on the field once or twice a week tops is all he’s good for. Amazing, Castillo is now an upgrade in the lineup and in the field.

I want the Mets to win and make the playoffs but a part of me wants Oliver Perez to pick up right where he left off with the Mets so he can force the hand of Jeffey Skill Sets to finally prove to the fan base if the team is broke or not? If the team is not in monetary dire straits then when OP shits the bed, cut him and force him to go to the minors. You know and I know that Perez will still suck when he returns so why go on with this farce.

So much for Prevention and Recovery when it comes to injuries especially when Jose Reyes is concerened. Reyes will start tonight in Phoenix and I just hope he’s ready to play and this isn’t one of the Mets rush jobs we all are to familiar with.

Sure Jeff Francouer is a fabulous right fielder but instead of wondering how Jerry Manuel is going to get him at bats, it would be a better move would be to release him. I know all about the “chemistry” issues but how could you be a clear thinking Mets fan and not want Angel Pagan in the lineup everyday? The Mets can’t afford to carry Frenchy’s impotent bat as the team ranks in the bottom third of every offensive category in the National League. The only reason the team is still in shouting distance of the Braves is due to the pitching staff, but with the way this offense is stalled, Francouer’s right arm is a luxury the Mets can afford.  

It’s 11PM and I’m laying in a tent in the middle of the woods hoping that no bears or coyotes come into the camp site and rip me apart and I realize the Mets are in San Francisco. I pray my little bullshit AM/FM radio can pick up the 50, 000 watts of WFAN so I can listen to the game and keep my mind off of being becoming some savage animals midnight snack. I hit the on button and the game comes in loud and clear but there is a bit of a problem, No Howie Rose. There is Wayne Hagin and then I hear Ed (Grey Goose) Coleman but where the hell is Howie? I admit I don’t listen to many Mets games on the radio but when I do, I tolerate Hagin as I know Howie is right there for my listening pleasure. I don’t begrudge Rose of taking a bit of a vacation as he works Icelander games and folds right into Mets games but there needs to be a different voice in the booth when Howie’s not there. You can’t team up Hagin and Coleman together it doesn’t work. It’s not Sterling/Waldman bad as that is the worst tandem in the history of speaking but Hagin and Coleman are very close to unlistenable. Why can’t Kevin Burkhardt step in for Howie or Hagin when either is not available? I’m sure there is some SNY, WFAN mumbo-jumbo contract bullshit that forbids this from happening but some times the forces in charge need to think of the listener because if I’m switching off the radio then I’m not listening  to the endless ads on the broadcast and I’m sure the sponsors won’t want to here that.

Somewhere in the city of Detroit, Armando Galarraga is wondering, why couldn’t Jim Joyce been part of Dale Scott’s umpire crew?

So now the precedent has been set, any call can now be over turned. So if there is a close pick off play at any base, the team can now ask the umpires to caucus to get a consensus on whether the runner was safe or out. Same now with ban-bang plays at first base, or close plays at the plate or on the other bases.

Let’s get one thing straight, the ball never hit Scott Rolen, so for Crew Chief Dale Scott to proclaim, it was all about getting the play right, well they failed. If anything it should have been called a ball and the count on Rolen 3 and 2. Scott should also be ashamed as should home plate ump Jerry Meals for allowing second base umpire, Dan Iassogna to be the guy to change that call, since Iassogna was 120 ft away and Meals right on top of the point of inpact. Scott threw his home plate man under the bus and Meals by not telling Iassogna to shut the fuck up loses his credibility as well.

With all that, Big Pelf was not very good last night and the reversed call and having his strike zone squeezed tighter than a fly’s ass didn’t help him either. Pelf had no command of his pitches last night as he kept falling behind in the count and if there is one team you don’t want to be at 2-0, 2-1 it’s the Reds.  It’s good thing Pelf didn’t make the All-Star team as he needs the days off to regroup and not let’s this recent slide of his turn him back into 2009 Mike Pelfrey

Patrick Flood looks at the high wire act that is Frankie Rodriguez. The fact that Flood points out that Rodriguez has converted 83 % of his saves as Mets closer is the same rate that Armando Benitez had as a Met made my acid reflux flow like a BP oil rig.

Kevin Millar nearly missed doing the Mets-Nats game on Saturday as he was delayed getting out of Texas where he makes his home due to Hurricane Alex. As a precaution, FOX asked SNY for permission to hire Ron Darling for the day as the game analyst. SNY refused saying that Darling’s contract calls for him to only work outside SNY for TBS. SNY did the same thing to Kevin Burkhart when FOX ask permission to have Burkhart do play by play on a FOX Saturday game.  Is SNY paranoid? What were they afraid of by letting Darling or Burkhart do games for FOX? I guarantee no one is calling about grabbing Gary Apple or Kirk Gimenez. In fact the only SNY personalities with any personality are the guys doing Mets games, the rest of the day on SNY they’d be better off running infomercials. If you’re ever suffering from lack of sleep just turn on SNY Sportsnite no matter whom the anchor is they’ll lull you into a coma.

I guess we are so used to seeing an authoritarian pitcher in Johan Santana that when he’s not striking out guys at a 9K per game clip or watch that walk rate creep up last three years we ask “Have we seen that last of Dominant Johan”  when we should be asking “are we watching the re-invention of Johan”

Mike Silva has a great post on this today at NY Baseball Digest looking at the different scenarios that have made Santana less than the dominant pitcher we know and love.

I will say this for Santana, he has terrific focus and he is one of the smartest pitchers in baseball, if he has to compensate for a lack of velocity and the inability to over power a batter, I’m confident he can figure out a way to go after the hitters with a different strategy. We are seeing his Fly Ball rate dropping and his ground ball rate inching up so you could see Santana concentrate more in keeping the ball lower in the strike zone and pitching to contact.

We also have to understand that at the age of 31 most likely we have seen the best of Santana. That’s not to say he’s done or on the down side not in the  least, what we could be seeing is a solid pitcher but he may not be the can’t miss option he’s been for the majority of his career.

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!!!!!!

Sure I’m happy with the win last night but why do these games have to be so excruciating to watch? Why did Big Pelf have to come out after 6 innings? This is the shit that gets Mets fans boxers in a bunch about Jerry Manuel. This bullpen is running on fumes and Big Pelf was pitching with some big balls last night, he was pounding the living daylights out of the strike zone and getting ground ball outs, sure hitting Alex Cora for Pelf worked out with a single and a RBI but I still would have let Pelf bat there and come out to pitch the 7^th.    Most Mets fans feel that Pelfrey has now become a front line major league pitcher; it’s too bad Jerry Manuel doesn’t realize it yet.

Looks like Old School Warthern was right about the “hanitual liar” John Maine. The doctor will see you now Mr. Maine

This morning before our game, I was hitting fungos to my infielders. I was wearing my Mets nylon pullover while conducting this task when the following exchange took place:

Parent from the stands: “Oh sure the Mets win a game and you start wearing Mets stuff”

My wife: “ARE YOUR KIDDING” ? MY HUSBAND LIVES AND DIES WITH THAT STUPID TEAM AND HE WEARS METS STUFF JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY WIN OR LOSE”

Me saying to myself : “Man, I hope it starts pouring and we get rained out, I can’t to go home with that woman”

I wonder who Mother Nature was more sick of, home plate umpire Mike Esterbrook or the inane droning of Joe Morgan but whoever it was, Mets fans thank her for the heavy rain that ended last nights Mets game and Big Plef’ heavy lifting pitching performance with a rain shortened win over the struggling Braves. For the Mets it’s about time they got a positive break and lost in this awful game was the fact the Mets swept the Braves, which should be big time news around these parts.

Pelfrey was not as bad as his line indicates; he was mostly the victim of Esterbrook’s tight as a fly’s asshole strike zone. If the game was on SNY instead of the steady in decline WWL (ESPN’s 2010 NFL Draft wasn’t even public access quality) we would have gotten the overhead view of home plate to see just where Pelf was missing. On the ESPN telecast it looked to me he was hitting the corners consistently.  

Of his 106 pitches, Pelf threw 61 of them in the first two innings, from the third to fifth it took him only 45 pitches to get through those frames. The ability to locate his fastball low in the strike zone and mix in the slider as well has been key for Pelf in getting ground ball out after ground ball out.

I haven’t verified this yet, but the rumor is when the game was called last night, Jerry Manuel sent Fernando Nieve to the bullpen to throw a simulated game. J-Man said he wanted to keep Nieve “sharp”.

A tip of the solid blue Mets cap to Caryn Rose (a/k/a Metsgrrl) for not only going to the game last night but for letting us know though her Tweets on Twitter, that the game was well attended even though on TV it looked like there was a major evacuation in Flushing. Seems now that we have a new fancy pants ball park, there are plenty of places to get high and stay dry. Whereas Shea, during a game in the rain your choice was get wet sitting in your seat or get wet standing in the concourse. I give anyone who went to the game last night a ton of credit as it was so cold and misserable last night in NYC, that I broke down and put the heat back on last night.  

The Hollywood Bums come to town starting tonight and the very hittable Hiroki Kuroda will start the first game of the series tonight against Ollie Perez. This game has the potential for both teams to hit double digits.  The Dodgers are statistically the best team in the NL but fall to the bottom in just about every pitching category in the league. The Mets have smacked around Kuroda every time they’ve faced him (0-2 one no-decision 10.1IP 23H 10.45 ERA) Ollie Perez has been OK Ollie so far this season but lets hope the outstanding pitching the starters have shown this past week or so rubs off on OP.

I hope you can join me tomorrow night at 10PM ET for THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN on BLOG TALK RADIO. My guest will be Steve Slowinski of the DRAYSBAY site as we talk about the Tampa Bay Rays and their surge to the top on the AL East. I’ll have a recap of the Mets-Dodgers game as well and a look ahead to what is now a big weekend series with the Phillies. If you can’t join me live you can hear a replay of the show right here at Kranepool Society or at my show page on BLOG TALK RADIO.   

If Freddi Gonzalez ever feels his job as head Fishmonger is in jeopardy, he’d better hope the Mets are on the upcoming schedule. The Marlins have now beaten the Mets 13 times in the last 24 games.

Yes, yes, yes I know the season is in its infancy stage but didn’t the last three games look as though 2009 hasn’t ended? If not for the big effort by Johan Santana on Monday the Mets might be 0 for 2010 today.

Nice work by Jon Neise last night working all his pitches and hitting the strike zone on the down low.  The way he worked his fastball and cutter was encouraging as well. Too bad the Mets couldn’t put a few crooked numbers up for him. Sure 3 runs allowed in 6 innings is an average performance but Niese did pitch to contact and after watching John Maine on Wednesday at least he threw strikes.

I keep looking and looking but I can’t find where the Mets have DFA’Mike Jacobs? By the way Ike Davis had 3 hits in 4AB’s in a losing Buffalo Bison effort last night. Just sayin’

Should SNY start Mets telecast like an episode of 24 as a count down to when Jerry Manuel gets fired, “The following occurred between 7:10PM and 10:35PM”

This weekend series against the Nationals is a “must-win” for the Mets. What? Too early?

Luis Castillo will sit out tonight’s game with calf (wink, wink) discomfort. So tonight we get Alex “Leader of Men” Cora at 2^nd base and Ruben Tejada at short, and hopefully by tomorrow Jose Reyes will be activated from the DL unless of course he eats a dozen oysters on the half shell on the plane ride from St. Lonesome. Oh and Michael Highlander, I’m wearing my doo-rag today!!!!

I’m proud to say I have not watched one second of Jersey Shore being that if I want to look at wanna be tough guys and cows who have an over inflate view of their importance I can stroll the Staten Island Mall, but the commercial for Vitamin Water D-Wright shot with this cugine (pronounced COO-Jean) The Situation was pretty amusing. D-Wright by the way had a piece of the Vitamin Water and when they were bought by Coca-Cola Wright made a nice piece of change.

 

With a win under their belt in thrilling fashion no less, the talk this morning is not about Big Pelf’ outstanding performance pounding the strike zone down low like a blacksmith, but about a former Met who is still on the Skill Set dole as a roving instructor, SNY commentator and the now the spokesman for management John Franco.

 

Those statements that Franco made on Sirius/XM  MLB Home Plate channel with Jeff Joyce and Kevin Kennedy was part Franco’ observation and mostly it was John doing his duty for the Skill Sets. The only thing missing was at the end of the interview hearing Jeffey Skill Set saying “I’m Jeff Wilpon and I approve this message”

 

See Jeffey wants no part of taking on his team, instead of himself waiting for the team to come home and going into the clubhouse and letting them know that he does not hold Omar Minaya, Jerry Manuel or any of the front office people responsible for this slide and is putting the bulls eye right on the players back. And I (I hope you all are sitting down) applaud him for that. I just wish he would have the balls to do it himself and not send Clemenza Franco to do his dirty work. Franco in fact went out of his way to praise Jerry Manuel and his coaches for giving the players the proper instruction during spring training and working extremely hard in the ‘fundies” and making it out that it’s the players who are at fault. It’s about time that the players got a good swift kick in the ass. The message from management is loud and clear to the team “Don’t worry about what management is doing, just shut the fuck up and play”

 

Nothing that Franco said was out of line in fact in fact isn’t in a convenient  winky-dink that as Franco was telling Joyce and Kennedy that he feels the Mets play more like individuals than as a team and that some players are more “me” than “we” guys that J-Man had all his ladies take the bus”  Franco called out the team as looking at padding their stats than worrying about moving runners over and stealing a base when it’s to the teams advantage and not the individuals gain, and how many times have we wanted D-Wright to take the reins of the clubhouse ?

 

I know this for a fact Franco will have no problem walking into that clubhouse when the team arrives back in Queens on Tuesday. Ask any Met who played with Franco and they will tell you he was the most feared guy in that clubhouse, and I guarantee that if D-Wright wants a sit down with Franco, Johnny will be more than happy to accommodate him.  

 

 

What this message does as well is let the players, media and fans know that Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya are not getting fired today, tomorrow or next year but if I were a Mets player I’d be careful buying green bananas.

 

Johan Santana had a very difficult time in the first three innings finding the strike zone as he had neither command of his fastball or change up in the first three innings whether this was due to his mechanics or the ineptitude of home plate ump Ron Kulpa  I’m not sure but after giving up a walk to Chris Carpenter in the 4^th Santana all of a sudden got locked in and took control of the game. The mark of a great pitcher is when he can’t get his best pitches over for strikes he still finds a way to stay on top of his game and work his way through until he figures out how to get those pitches working or has a plan B and gets that to work. No panic, no fear that’s Johan Santana.

 

Ryan Church is lucky J-Man didn’t take out his blade and cut his ass after yesterday’s game. Manuel has put the challenge to Church by putting him the clean up spot while Sheffield recoups from his cortisone shot to his knee. So far the challenge not met by Church. With Daniel Murphy on second and Luis Castillo on first, D-Wright had an outstanding at bat. After looking at two called strikes, Wright bared down and then let two balls go out of the strike zone to even the count 2-2, the next pitch Wright just missed (a fastball I believe from Kyle McClellan) and then took the two more pitches for a base on balls. Outstanding at bat. Of course after that Tony LaRussa made yet another trip to the bullpen (and had me make a mess out of my score card) lefty Trever Miller to face Church.

 

Now here was Church’s time for redemption in the game as he misplayed a ball hit by Rick Ankiel in 6^th as he broke in the tried to get back and the ball sailed over his head for a double and Ankiel eventually scored the Cards second run so with the bags drunk it was Ryan Church in the spotlight (“Church bells may ring, ding –dong-ding, church bells may ring, ding-dong-ding”)  time to show the manager, the fans and his teammates the he is ready to step up.

 

Miller seems to have a bit of the yips as he can’t find the strike zone and falls behind 3-0 to Church. Ok now Ryan take a strike here, atta boy. Ok now it’s on a platter for you 3-1 and the pitch………..A CALLED STRIKE!!!!!!!!! Ryan, you are batting in the coveted clean up spot, the bases are loaded, it’s the bot of the 8^th and a 1 run game WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TAKING ON 3 AND 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

 

Now realizing he’s not up there to leave it up to Tatis, Church swings at the next pitch and fouls it off. Now Church is digging that back foot in the batters box determined to get a hit here but Miller just rears back and blows one by Church who took a huge swing and missed but at that point it didn’t matter this at bat was done at 3 balls 1 strike. Want to bet that Church sits tonight against Sabathia ? If he got a hit there lefty or no lefty he would have earned the start but after that at bat and the play in the 6th inning Church will sit tonight and it’s deserved.

 

The more I go to $iti Field the more I love the place (don’t worry we old timers will always have Shea in our hearts) how can you not. I know it has its faults (see Mets Police for those as he is the Elliot Ness of Mets fandom) and management (are you ready for this) seems to be listening to it’s fan base (S-H-O-C-K-I-N-G I know!) First thing I saw walking in I looked at the scoreboard in right/center and guess what? The lineups were posted ! YA-HOO!. Then in the 8^th inning no Sweet Caroline (HURAYY!!) but Meet The Mets (HURRAH!) now I do have a little bone to pick, how about playing the whole Meet The Mets song? Why do the butcher and the baker and the people on the street always get the short end of the stick all the time?

 

I was no fan of Michael Jackson’ when he was alive so I’m not mourning his death today but I was shocked that he died just for the fact that he is the same age as me. I know it’s not polite to speak ill of the dead but the guy was a walking freak show which was not the worst of his sins, those he will pay for it he hasn’t already. I do feel sorry for him in that he didn’t really have much of a life which again proves my mother theory that even if you have a lot of money that doesn’t mean you’re rich and if that’s the case Jackson died broke in more ways than one.

 

Now someone I was a fan of was Farrah Fawsett as were many young men back in the 70’s. Show of hands how many of you fella’s had this poster in your room (my hand is up) and how many of us looked to date girls with that blonde hair in a flip (hand still up)