May 28th – Wasted

You could almost feel it coming…

Wasted start for Johan Santana (again) and now this puts the Mets in a bad spot to win this series with Fernando Nieve going tomorrow.  No idea what you can get out from him. 

Good news, Manny Parra was in the bullpen for the Brewers earlier in the year, so who knows what the Brewers can expect out of him. 

There is NO reason why the Mets can’t start hitting this Brewers pitching staff now that Yovani Gallardo is no longer on the bump.

May 27th – Shutout Sweep

What more can you say?  Right now, you have to be thrilled and encouraged and all that. 

27 innings, 0 runs and Santana didn’t even pitch. 

19-9, 2.80 Home ERA - Gotta love this.

This is a solid read too – http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/6431

May 26th – 18-9 at home

Win the series against the 2009 world champs – check.  Win the series against the 2009 NL Champs – check.  Ok – so I’m starting to believe.

Hisanori Takahashi is unhittable.  R.A. Dickey is unhittable.  Mike Pelfrey is looking like a #1 starter.  Jose Reyes is in a groove.  Jason Bay is in a groove.  Rod Barajas is making a bid to be a NL All star catcher.  Fundamentals galore, bunting, sacrifice flies and stolen bases.  Now, I want the sweep.  I don’t want a well pitched game and then somebody blows it in the 8th or 9th.  Don’t do it to me. 

Side note – Roy Oswalt mowed down the Brewers in Milwaukee tonight.  2 months until the trade deadline, still a little early.  But, now is the time.  Only if Jon Niese was healthier, I think he could be a big cog in making a trade.

May 25th – Turnpike Series

I was primed for a let down.  We squeak out game 3 of the Subway Series and I figure well…why would we win tonight?  So I was thinking about what I could write about when the Phillies win tonight.  How about how I really don’t care so much about winning the Subway Series as I would the care about winning the Turnpike Series?  or did we really expect for R.A. Dickey to have two good outings in a row?   

Then I’m reading this during the game…and I’m like – really? stellar defense?  I glazed over the entire paragraph and how ridiculous it would be for David Wright to be traded and focused on FOX Sports saying David Wright plays stellar defense.  Maybe I’m cranky.  But then I remember…they are playing AT HOME.

So – the Mets are performing perfectly.  Unlike anything we’ve seen this year, and maybe not in 2+ years.  Great defense (David Wright made a big play in the 7th to get Raul Valdes out of trouble, thus FOX Sports shoving it in my face) , stealing bases, getting runners in from 3rd base perfectly (that Luis Castillo deadfish hit, just made me laugh), striking out Chase Utley and Ryan Howard when needed, relief pitchers getting extra base hits, starting pitchers with barely any bunting experience – laying down bunts.  Smackin’ around crabby ol’ Nelson Figueroa for good measure.  David Wright not striking out (had to add that zinger) I mean, what didn’t we see tonight? 

Post game – Jerry Manuel is praising the front office for their role in giving him such great depth and killing the argument I made here.  However, I’m still not convinced of R.A. Dickey or that Manuel has been blessed with so many options, but I am thinking he should do everything he can to get R.A. Dickey to pitch as many times at Citi Field as possible.  After tonight, I honestly think he could be a pitcher with a sub 3 ERA at home with ease.  I’ll put a dollar on that.

May 21st – The Situation

A question was posed to me tonight after he struck out against Joba Chamberlain in the 7th inning : What happened to David Wright

Clearly, there’s been a ton of coverage about why David Wright is striking out so much, his uppercut swing, his bonehead errors and base running blunders (who gets doubled up on an infield pop up?).  Is he still thinking about when Matt Cain plunked him? Is it his new Popeye arms?  Is it some hot chick?

However, nobody has mentioned this.

This isn’t a new video, it’s been around, but maybe all of David Wright super-powers, the face of the franchise and everything that we expect David Wright to be, has all been transferred (in that one jumping high five) to “the Situation”.

Hey – maybe “the Situation” can play 2b.  He isn’t the brightest bulb but even he wouldn’t have tried to get the lead runner in the 7th.  Nice job Cora.

May 21st – Subway Series

Last night, finally, a little offense.  And David Wright, didn’t strikeout!

But this weekend is key for alot of reasons.

1.  Can’t embarass yourselfs at home against the Yankees

2.  If you do, it’s front office clean house time.

3.  Can Bob Melvin, Terry Collins, Wally Backman pull a 2009 Jim Tracy of the Rockies?

4.  Or we dive deeper into depression/irrelevant mode?

Mets/Phillies tickets – May 25/26

Section 319, behind home plate, right under the SNY booth.  Really great seats.  With Parking Pass.  Email me to negotiate.  rich @ theamazinmess.com

http://www.stubhub.com/new-york-mets-tickets/mets-vs-phillies-5-25-2010-896171/?ticket_id=252166582

http://www.stubhub.com/new-york-mets-tickets/mets-vs-phillies-5-25-2010-896171/?ticket_id=252165582

http://www.stubhub.com/new-york-mets-tickets/mets-vs-phillies-5-26-2010-896322/?ticket_id=252166581

http://www.stubhub.com/new-york-mets-tickets/mets-vs-phillies-5-26-2010-896322/?ticket_id=252165581

May 19th – Depressed

After the game, Jerry Manuel sounded depressed and defeated, Fernando Nieve pitched like he’s overworked and defeated and this lack of offense is just depressing.  Sure, R.A. Dickey pitched nicely, the inside the park HR and the triple play was exciting (for a moment) but other than that, you knew the roller coaster ride was going to come crashing down.  As a fan, how do you not watch this game and just feel depressed afterwards?

The Mets are now 19-22 (6 games back and in last place), they were 14-9 (1 game up) and 17-13 (1 game back) at a given point.  That’s a HUGE swing.  Sure, it’s early and sure they are still 14-8 at home.   But their team AVG is .247, OBP .317 and OPS .698.  That’s like having 8 Wayne Garrett’s  in your lineup. 

The pitching is in shambles lately, but it’s time to start focusing on the hitting.  It’s worse.  I think.

May 18th – Helluva night for David Wright

Per Gary Cohen on last night’s telecast, he’s on pace for 223 strikeouts.  He couldn’t get in Luis Castillo from third with one out in the 9th.  And he  makes an error to lose the game on the last play. 

Check this out:

Strikeouts

Rank Player SO Year
1. Tommie Agee 156 1970
  Dave Kingman 156 1982
3. Dave Kingman 153 1975
4. Todd Hundley 146 1996
5. Mo Vaughn 145 2002
6. Mike Cameron 143 2004
7. Darryl Strawberry 141 1986
8. David Wright 140 2009
9. Tommie Agee 137 1969
10. Jeromy Burnitz 135 2002
  Dave Kingman 135 1976

Jason Bay and Wright are going to obliterate that team record.

Another ruined (super) quality start by Johan Santana

Word is David Wright will get the night off tonight, but who is going to play 3rd? Fernando Tatis? Serious question, is he still on the team?  I haven’t seen him in ages.  Quick log search on BR says: His last two games, he pinch hit on the 16th and 9th.  So he’s ripe and ready to go to start tonight!

Sporcle – Top 5 1990′s Cy Young voting

80/102

http://www.sporcle.com/games/bakeet14/90scyyoung

Was I really expected to remember ****** *******, that Rockies pitcher?

Still, it’s a good quiz.