The Amazin' Mess

I was a closet fan (what baseball fan wouldn’t like someone with power (honest power), speed, great defensive ability and a smile on his face) and sure, I played the hell out of his SNES games.  But what centerfielders can we compare Ken Griffey Jr. to?  I actually think he stands alone, but if I had to say someone…

Having a discussion here:  http://operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=78025

I’d say Duke Snider.  Two people have said Joe DiMaggio.

Their statements:  Crazy talk. Griffey had twice the career of Duke Snider. Also, Dimaggio doesn’t even approach Griffey unless you give him extra credit for the years he missed during the war. Even with them, It’s pretty even. And I’d give Griffey the bonus for playing in a more difficult era.

As a fellow Yankee fan, I love Joe D. But this era has integration, better scouting, and specialists. It’s much harder to dominate now than it was then. I give all the WW2 players extra credit for the years they missed. But Griffey was a far better player than Snider. I’d also put him equal to Joe D.

My statement:  Joe Dimaggio is the 2nd greatest right handed hitter of all time (behind Rogers Hornsby) – you are too busy looking at “total” stats, without diving into the real stats. Dimaggio’s hitting ability and his power/lack of strikeouts, puts Dimaggio’s well above Griffey.

Since, you are so into “total” stats, add 2800 ABs to Duke Snider and see how close he comes to Griffey’s “total” stats. I think the AVG,OBP,SLG, OPS, OPS+ fall in closer with Duke Snider than Joe Dimaggio.

and how is Griffey playing is a “more difficult” era? The expansion era with smaller ball parks?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snidedu01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/griffke02.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dimagjo01.shtml

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The Padres score 18 runs in the opening game of the series.  18 RUNS.  I would have put a tenner on that they wouldn’t have scored 18 runs in the entire series and quite possibly all 6 games played (when they come to Citi next week).

Right now, the roller coaster continues.  The Mets are just a .500 team.  Their road woes continue and sure, they’ll play well at home but this team is nothing more than a  .500 team.  So, stop getting my hopes up.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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

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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.

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