Do you believe in coincidences? Do you think the Mets having won two in a row has nothing whatever to do with the return of Jason Bay to the Mets lineup? Well, I believe in coincidences myself but this 2-game streak is not one of them.
Are two games won a streak? For the Mets it is. The Mets are what, 7-13? Some things looked a lot better in spring training, especially the Mets bats. But once the regular season started, all the bats went cold right about the time the pitchers started using every pitch in their repertoire. Some guys just hit fastballs.
But they haven’t gotten one break. Or so it has seemed. But since they were making stupid plays each and every game, it was kind of hard to figure what was bad luck and what was bad baseball.
Watching Scott Hairston play left field was torture, worse almost than when Daniel Murphy was out there. Of course, watching his plate appearances was almost as bad. Willie Harris looked better at the plate and the field but Willie is one of those guys who have the ability to bunt but just won’t. He’d rather foul off a couple of tries and then swing away, only to strike out.
There are a lot of Willie Harris’s. Scott Hairston’s grow on trees. There are only several Jason Bay’s . With the weaknesses already built in at second base and sometimes at catcher, having still another spot filled by a minor leaguer was just too much to overcome.
But there were problems with the established players too. Angel Pagan had been awful in general, at the plate and in the field. Beltran was only mediocre in his new right field position. The second basemen, every one of them, were awful at the plate. Such are the fortunes of players with their heads down.
This column has been very critical of Jason Bay, especially since his latest stint on the DL. But Bay’s return fueled a reason for optimism. Bay has been an established hitter. And he looks like the Jason Bay of old thus far. The elbows are out of the way. He’s holding his hands higher, naturally pulling those elbows out of the way.
David Wright had been shooting for the right field porch every time up, regardless of the game situation. That stopped upon Bay’s return and it was so nice to see Wright pull a couple of pitches into the hole between left and center, especially the homer to the seats in left-center.
It didn’t help that the pitchers that looked so good last year came out flat too. The best performances came from the pickups, from Chris Young and Capuano. Mike Pelfrey was especially dreadful, but that stopped last night too.
So things are looking up….way up. Even Jason Pridie from the minors, filling in for Angel Pagan, looked as if he could perform at least as well as Pagan. As this is written, he just got his first hit, and it wasn’t a fastball that he smacked to right.
It’s even beginning to look as if Daniel Murphy, who can hit a little bit in the majors, can play second base. He looks much better there than he ever did in the outfield. And his comfort in the field is maybe making him relax more at the plate. He’s a contact hitter too, and the second spot in the lineup seems perfect for him, at least until Pagan remembers how to hit again.
Dillon Gee provided a nice lift too and is pitching well today. Last night Pelfrey pitched with confidence for the first time this year. It seemed as if there were first times for a lot of things once Bay returned. Hitters hit. Pitchers pitched. Fielders…well, you know.
It can’t be totally a coincidence. Bay solidifies the outfield. Bay protects Beltran or Wright in the lineup. Bay provides still one more scary guy appearance in the lineup, which eventually wears on an opposing pitcher. As pitchers bat in the National League, there is already one built-in hole in the lineup. The Mets had holes all over the place.
And Jason Bay just homered to right center. He only hit 6 all of last year. He single-handedly gave the Mets a 3-1 lead in this Arizona game and, lo and behold, Ike Davis just killed a hanging slider way out to right field for a 4-1 lead. Now Thole creams another pitch to right. No, it can’t be a coincidence.
Of course no player’s return can account for all ills. Murphy just pulled an ole on a grounder he should have had and Ike Davis just dropped a tough over-the-shoulder popup he ordinarily makes and it’s now 4-2 in the 4th inning. It remains to be seen how Gee will handle these bad breaks.
Uh-oh, after getting the second out, Gee just allowed another hit and it’s now 4-3. Growing pains are in the offing. Soon we’ll be learning more about the relief corps. What we’ve learned so far about the bullpen hasn’t been encouraging. In fact, as of a couple days ago, the Mets had the worst ERA in the National League.
Well, Gee got out of the inning with the lead but only after Pridie in center had to run back to about the 400 foot mark to make the catch. One wonders what Collins will decide for the fifth inning. It looks as if Gee could use a breather.
Whatever happens in this game, the future certainly looks rosier than the past has been. The team is healthy again, at least the players who had been playing well. Pagan is the only player still hurt and, as I mentioned, he had been dreadful.
Some things never change, I guess. Wright just hit into a double play with two men on base. At least he didn’t look as if he was swinging for that rightfield porch.
Even Jason Bay can’t change everything.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
C'mon Alderson Do Something!
Well, the Mets and Terry Collins pulled out all the stops to finally win a game after about 7 excruciating losses in a row. They did it not by eliminating relief appearances per se but by inserting starters in relief roles. Gee, do you think Terry is sending a message?
I get it, Terry. Hopefully, some of your relievers are tuned in. The one true reliever Collins did use was K-Rod, and, after providing a little angst of his own, Rodriguez finally closed the game and the losing streak out. Thank the pitching gods he didn’t choose to throw a strike to Chipper, the Mets-killer. I’ll take a little angst, and Chipper on first, rather than a game-tying dinger just about anytime.
Meanwhile, Dillon Gee finally got his chance and absolutely made the most of it. Assuming that yesterday’s performance wasn’t a total aberration, that makes three starters Mets fans can count on half the time. Those would be Dickey, Niese and Gee. The supposed ace of the staff is still doing his best John Maine impersonation and Chris Young will hopefully return soon.
The lineup I so looked forward to seeing in the spring has yet to take the field, thanks of course to the fragile one, poor baby Jason Bay. God forbid his intercostals should give a little twinge. Meanwhile, even without Bay’s seeming abdication of his responsibility to the Mets, two players I thought I could count on, Angel Pagan and David Wright, have totally stunk out the joint.
Wright plays only for himself. No matter what the situation, he’ll be swinging for that right field fence every time up. This isn’t lost on opposing pitchers, of course, so they’ll keep taking advantage of Wright’s stupidity and arrogance. So Wright will just keep striking out or flying out to right until he’s hopefully traded.
Angel Pagan has been horrible. He looks totally uncomfortable at the plate, all scrunched up in his ridiculous crouch, taking the good pitches while waiting for a suddenly timid Reyes, except for yesterday, finally attempt a steal. Reyes finally seems to have gotten over his hesitation and hopefully a resurgence of Pagan’s bat will follow.
Of course, all things haven’t been bad but you can’t win if only 3 or 4 players are pulling their weight. The only Mets anyone could possibly be happy with have been Ike Davis, Carlos Beltran, Josh Thole and Jose. None of the second basemen are working out, neither the vapid David Murphy nor the light-hitting Brad Emaus. I make myself sick rooting for Willie Harris to get another big hit. That’s totally absurd. I can’t sustain any interest this way. I’d rather watch some more pleasant comedy series.
I just heard that Bay will give things a try this Thursday against Houston. What a guy! I just wish Madoff had taken Bay’s millions. He certainly hasn’t done anything to deserve such good fortune. To quote Ralph Kramden, “the applicant is a BUM”.
Things are seldom as bad as they seem though. After all, the opponents have been mostly tough ones, the Rockies, the Braves and even the Marlins have very good pitching. In fact, the only putrid series result was the loss to Washington, a team that, while better this year than in previous seasons, is still not the equal, all things considered, of the Mets.
Another disturbing thing has been the Mets propensity for making the big mistake. Daniel Murphy has the baseball instincts of a cockroach, not that that makes any sense at all, but I did pick the right bug. There’s no rally killer like the guy with his head up his butt on the bases.
But Pagan has looked terrible in center and Beltran has looked awful in right. Is Willie Harris really our best outfielder? Omigosh!
Notwithstanding all the Mets foibles, they have to look better against the upcoming Astros, D-Backs and Nationals than they have versus the Rockies and Braves. Maybe all the Mets will get their confidence back when matched against opponents they think they can beat, starting with Mike Pelfrey, who never seems confident about anything.
Not that he should. That he won 15 games last year is a mystery to me, except that I do recall his ball sinking a lot and yet still maintaining control. That guy is gone. On a team that needs some leadership, the veterans are badly letting their teammates down. Of the core players, only Jose Reyes has shown himself to be the same guy he was in some (well, a couple anyway)of his wonder years.
And I wonder how much Collins has to do with this lackluster play. Is he one of those managers that veterans find impossible to play for? That was supposedly his history. And I could well believe it. You won’t find a more boring speaker, one who says the same thing over and over and over again. I find myself wishing he’d use a synonym once in a while.
In any event, this Mets team is clearly not having a good time, not enjoying the game, and not playing aggressively. They’re playing like a bunch of guys just going through the motions. It’s really hard to watch a team like that. Compare that lassitude to the Rangers or the Rockies or even the Phillies. There’s just no comparison.
And let’s stop the nonsense about Daniel Murphy. Yeah, yeah, he’s a nice guy, I’m sure, and nobody tries harder, yada yada, but the man can’t play the game. How many years of stupid clumsy baseball do we have to see from this guy before we get him out? I’ve had it with Murphy; his time is up.
Bring back that smooth-fielding little guy who played second base last year. Luis started to hit toward the end of the year and he was a terrific defender to watch, a guy who could turn the momentum of a game with a magic glove and good arm.
Come on, Alderson. Do something.
I get it, Terry. Hopefully, some of your relievers are tuned in. The one true reliever Collins did use was K-Rod, and, after providing a little angst of his own, Rodriguez finally closed the game and the losing streak out. Thank the pitching gods he didn’t choose to throw a strike to Chipper, the Mets-killer. I’ll take a little angst, and Chipper on first, rather than a game-tying dinger just about anytime.
Meanwhile, Dillon Gee finally got his chance and absolutely made the most of it. Assuming that yesterday’s performance wasn’t a total aberration, that makes three starters Mets fans can count on half the time. Those would be Dickey, Niese and Gee. The supposed ace of the staff is still doing his best John Maine impersonation and Chris Young will hopefully return soon.
The lineup I so looked forward to seeing in the spring has yet to take the field, thanks of course to the fragile one, poor baby Jason Bay. God forbid his intercostals should give a little twinge. Meanwhile, even without Bay’s seeming abdication of his responsibility to the Mets, two players I thought I could count on, Angel Pagan and David Wright, have totally stunk out the joint.
Wright plays only for himself. No matter what the situation, he’ll be swinging for that right field fence every time up. This isn’t lost on opposing pitchers, of course, so they’ll keep taking advantage of Wright’s stupidity and arrogance. So Wright will just keep striking out or flying out to right until he’s hopefully traded.
Angel Pagan has been horrible. He looks totally uncomfortable at the plate, all scrunched up in his ridiculous crouch, taking the good pitches while waiting for a suddenly timid Reyes, except for yesterday, finally attempt a steal. Reyes finally seems to have gotten over his hesitation and hopefully a resurgence of Pagan’s bat will follow.
Of course, all things haven’t been bad but you can’t win if only 3 or 4 players are pulling their weight. The only Mets anyone could possibly be happy with have been Ike Davis, Carlos Beltran, Josh Thole and Jose. None of the second basemen are working out, neither the vapid David Murphy nor the light-hitting Brad Emaus. I make myself sick rooting for Willie Harris to get another big hit. That’s totally absurd. I can’t sustain any interest this way. I’d rather watch some more pleasant comedy series.
I just heard that Bay will give things a try this Thursday against Houston. What a guy! I just wish Madoff had taken Bay’s millions. He certainly hasn’t done anything to deserve such good fortune. To quote Ralph Kramden, “the applicant is a BUM”.
Things are seldom as bad as they seem though. After all, the opponents have been mostly tough ones, the Rockies, the Braves and even the Marlins have very good pitching. In fact, the only putrid series result was the loss to Washington, a team that, while better this year than in previous seasons, is still not the equal, all things considered, of the Mets.
Another disturbing thing has been the Mets propensity for making the big mistake. Daniel Murphy has the baseball instincts of a cockroach, not that that makes any sense at all, but I did pick the right bug. There’s no rally killer like the guy with his head up his butt on the bases.
But Pagan has looked terrible in center and Beltran has looked awful in right. Is Willie Harris really our best outfielder? Omigosh!
Notwithstanding all the Mets foibles, they have to look better against the upcoming Astros, D-Backs and Nationals than they have versus the Rockies and Braves. Maybe all the Mets will get their confidence back when matched against opponents they think they can beat, starting with Mike Pelfrey, who never seems confident about anything.
Not that he should. That he won 15 games last year is a mystery to me, except that I do recall his ball sinking a lot and yet still maintaining control. That guy is gone. On a team that needs some leadership, the veterans are badly letting their teammates down. Of the core players, only Jose Reyes has shown himself to be the same guy he was in some (well, a couple anyway)of his wonder years.
And I wonder how much Collins has to do with this lackluster play. Is he one of those managers that veterans find impossible to play for? That was supposedly his history. And I could well believe it. You won’t find a more boring speaker, one who says the same thing over and over and over again. I find myself wishing he’d use a synonym once in a while.
In any event, this Mets team is clearly not having a good time, not enjoying the game, and not playing aggressively. They’re playing like a bunch of guys just going through the motions. It’s really hard to watch a team like that. Compare that lassitude to the Rangers or the Rockies or even the Phillies. There’s just no comparison.
And let’s stop the nonsense about Daniel Murphy. Yeah, yeah, he’s a nice guy, I’m sure, and nobody tries harder, yada yada, but the man can’t play the game. How many years of stupid clumsy baseball do we have to see from this guy before we get him out? I’ve had it with Murphy; his time is up.
Bring back that smooth-fielding little guy who played second base last year. Luis started to hit toward the end of the year and he was a terrific defender to watch, a guy who could turn the momentum of a game with a magic glove and good arm.
Come on, Alderson. Do something.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Masters and the Morrow
Yup, the Mets lost another tough one today and it was lost by Carrasco and the relievers, most of whom didn’t do much. The ones who did perform were in for just a batter. The right fielder Duda let one go right over his head. The Mets wasted 7 innings of terrific starting pitching from the resurgent Chris Young. The Nats Tyler Clifford made the Mets lineup look like monkeys.
But all that was nothing, just 1 more of 153 left to go. The real excitement is happening in Augusta at the Masters. It seems as if there’re ten guys who could win it and Tiger is one of the guys. The 21-year old phenom from Northern Ireland has faltered, finally. Woods may not win this thing but he sure made a lot of folks uncomfortable.
First, I have to say that Masters course looks great on an HD TV. Mine is just 42 inches but everything looks just beautiful. It can’t be much nicer in person. But the really amazing thing going on there is this phenomenal race to the finish line amongst 6 or 7 really different horses.
There’s the swaggering Woods, of course. Compare him to the sturdy and reliable K.J. Choi or either of them to the lumbering Angel Cabrera, all of these real pro’s pros. They’re pitted against the young lions of the game, Jason Day and Luke Donald and Charl Schwartzel , older fellas Geoff Ogilvy and Bo Van Pelt.
It’s each of them against the course, of course, but it sure doesn’t seem that way.
As this is written, Tiger’s round is nearly done. He gets a big hand from the crowd around the clubhouse. But he misses his 20-footer for birdie. So he’ll finish at 10-under, the most popular score, it seems, for the last nine holes. Now he’s done and the crowd gives him another hand. So I guess he’s forgiven, or everybody’s just overwhelmed by the moment, or maybe they’re just being nice Southern people.
It’s really a mind-bender to watch. The variety of shots that present themselves, the impossible lies and the rolls this way and that, the skinny fairways and gigantic traps, the water and the trees. Adam Scott is actually the leader right now. But somehow I can’t see him leading this thing at the end. I figure it’ll be Choi or Ogilvy, the more experienced players.
But, whatever happens, you know there is only one of these Masters crowns handed out each year. The tension is palpable. The only one not feeling anything is Choi. An explosion might not even do it. Now Ogilvy finishes his 10-under. Now we see Schwartzel on the fairway, he’s 10-under too but his seemingly nice approach shot rolls over the impossibly narrow and sloping green.
The baseball game, the Mets game of course, was interesting though, if just for the decisions that went awry for Mets manager Terry Collins. He took the starter who was rolling out after 7 innings and replaced him with a guy who just wouldn’t throw a strike. Pitch count anxiety claims still another victim. The theory is that he’ll live to pitch another day. Sure. What about today?
This golf tournament is all about today. The guy I haven’t been expecting much from, Adam Scott, is now 12-under. Go figure. He seems to be enjoying the attention. Here’s Jason Day again. I wonder what could’ve happened if he could have been in the final pairing again with the youngster Rory McIlroy. They played so well together. I knew pairing him with Cabrera would be a problem.
Now Schwartzel, the young South African, makes an incredible downhill putt from at least 10 feet to make his 12-under and share the lead. He extends the lead to 13-under later and stands just about 15 feet and two putts from keeping it that way. And he doesn’t look that worried, even for a downhill runner speeding toward a tiny pocket in the green. Maybe that’s why it goes in in one. The new Masters Champion is now this unflappable South African fellow.
There was no tomorrow in any one of these guys fighting for the green jacket. There’s nothing but tomorrows for our Mets. Collins just trots his pitchers out there. If they do the job, fine, but he doesn’t worry that much about it. Maybe he should start acting with a little urgency for a win. When a team gets the opportunity, it should close the door.
My worst fears about this Mets team look to be coming true. The starters who surprised us last year with some very good performances all year have thus far stunk it up in 2011, starting with Mr. Pelfrey but Niese hasn’t blown anyone away either this year. Dickey looked ridiculous on the mound Friday. The best pitchers have been the new guys, Chris Young and Chris Capuano, but one wonders how long that can last. And the relievers have been just awful.
The lineup has potential but doesn’t fulfill its potential very often. Wright’s been good but strikes out a lot. Beltran had a big day with 2 homers and Collins immediately gave him an off day. Reyes gets in position to steal a lot but never attempts a steal. I’m forced to say that Collins’s situational awareness kind of sucks.
As a manager so far, I’d give him a D+. He’s a nice guy though. Geez.
There’s not a lot of pop in the lineup. And if Jason Bay ever stops feeling “discomfort in his ribs”, we’ll find out how long it takes him to get hurt again. His willingness to play through discomfort is non-existent. The concussion in July was discomfiting enough for him to miss the entire rest of the 2010 season. This is a man who wants to be traded. This is a man who’s afraid to show himself at CitiField.
This team might show some feistiness and contend or it might just wait for tomorrow.
But all that was nothing, just 1 more of 153 left to go. The real excitement is happening in Augusta at the Masters. It seems as if there’re ten guys who could win it and Tiger is one of the guys. The 21-year old phenom from Northern Ireland has faltered, finally. Woods may not win this thing but he sure made a lot of folks uncomfortable.
First, I have to say that Masters course looks great on an HD TV. Mine is just 42 inches but everything looks just beautiful. It can’t be much nicer in person. But the really amazing thing going on there is this phenomenal race to the finish line amongst 6 or 7 really different horses.
There’s the swaggering Woods, of course. Compare him to the sturdy and reliable K.J. Choi or either of them to the lumbering Angel Cabrera, all of these real pro’s pros. They’re pitted against the young lions of the game, Jason Day and Luke Donald and Charl Schwartzel , older fellas Geoff Ogilvy and Bo Van Pelt.
It’s each of them against the course, of course, but it sure doesn’t seem that way.
As this is written, Tiger’s round is nearly done. He gets a big hand from the crowd around the clubhouse. But he misses his 20-footer for birdie. So he’ll finish at 10-under, the most popular score, it seems, for the last nine holes. Now he’s done and the crowd gives him another hand. So I guess he’s forgiven, or everybody’s just overwhelmed by the moment, or maybe they’re just being nice Southern people.
It’s really a mind-bender to watch. The variety of shots that present themselves, the impossible lies and the rolls this way and that, the skinny fairways and gigantic traps, the water and the trees. Adam Scott is actually the leader right now. But somehow I can’t see him leading this thing at the end. I figure it’ll be Choi or Ogilvy, the more experienced players.
But, whatever happens, you know there is only one of these Masters crowns handed out each year. The tension is palpable. The only one not feeling anything is Choi. An explosion might not even do it. Now Ogilvy finishes his 10-under. Now we see Schwartzel on the fairway, he’s 10-under too but his seemingly nice approach shot rolls over the impossibly narrow and sloping green.
The baseball game, the Mets game of course, was interesting though, if just for the decisions that went awry for Mets manager Terry Collins. He took the starter who was rolling out after 7 innings and replaced him with a guy who just wouldn’t throw a strike. Pitch count anxiety claims still another victim. The theory is that he’ll live to pitch another day. Sure. What about today?
This golf tournament is all about today. The guy I haven’t been expecting much from, Adam Scott, is now 12-under. Go figure. He seems to be enjoying the attention. Here’s Jason Day again. I wonder what could’ve happened if he could have been in the final pairing again with the youngster Rory McIlroy. They played so well together. I knew pairing him with Cabrera would be a problem.
Now Schwartzel, the young South African, makes an incredible downhill putt from at least 10 feet to make his 12-under and share the lead. He extends the lead to 13-under later and stands just about 15 feet and two putts from keeping it that way. And he doesn’t look that worried, even for a downhill runner speeding toward a tiny pocket in the green. Maybe that’s why it goes in in one. The new Masters Champion is now this unflappable South African fellow.
There was no tomorrow in any one of these guys fighting for the green jacket. There’s nothing but tomorrows for our Mets. Collins just trots his pitchers out there. If they do the job, fine, but he doesn’t worry that much about it. Maybe he should start acting with a little urgency for a win. When a team gets the opportunity, it should close the door.
My worst fears about this Mets team look to be coming true. The starters who surprised us last year with some very good performances all year have thus far stunk it up in 2011, starting with Mr. Pelfrey but Niese hasn’t blown anyone away either this year. Dickey looked ridiculous on the mound Friday. The best pitchers have been the new guys, Chris Young and Chris Capuano, but one wonders how long that can last. And the relievers have been just awful.
The lineup has potential but doesn’t fulfill its potential very often. Wright’s been good but strikes out a lot. Beltran had a big day with 2 homers and Collins immediately gave him an off day. Reyes gets in position to steal a lot but never attempts a steal. I’m forced to say that Collins’s situational awareness kind of sucks.
As a manager so far, I’d give him a D+. He’s a nice guy though. Geez.
There’s not a lot of pop in the lineup. And if Jason Bay ever stops feeling “discomfort in his ribs”, we’ll find out how long it takes him to get hurt again. His willingness to play through discomfort is non-existent. The concussion in July was discomfiting enough for him to miss the entire rest of the 2010 season. This is a man who wants to be traded. This is a man who’s afraid to show himself at CitiField.
This team might show some feistiness and contend or it might just wait for tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A Good Start and a Big Mouth
Well, it’s a rainy Tuesday, too damp to even try continue spackling, so what a terrific opportunity to let go with all this built-up invective inside. Right at the top of my list is Dan Warthen, the Mets pitching coach with the big mouth.
How can a pitching coach trash his former player for pitching his heart out for you? I know he was responding to another idiot’s (Cashman’s) claim that Pedro Feliciano had been trashed and abused by the Mets, and no doubt Warthen was just expressing what would come naturally to just about anyone when he asked why the Yankees signed him in the first place, but to then go further by saying that the number of innings Pedro threw was the reason the Mets didn’t re-sign him, that’s just stupid.
What is Feliciano supposed to think now? What are the other Mets pitchers thinking? What is any Mets player to think whenever the choice to play a little dinged up presents itself? Especially a team that has been beset by injuries to key players, especially a team that has seen one outfielder (Jason Bay) stay home for two months with a concussion and then another two weeks with some mysterious oblique injury, especially a team that has seen its star player (Carlos Beltran) sit out for the better part of two years with knee troubles, that team should express nothing but heartfelt gratitude when a guy like Feliciano puts his arm on the line.
Maybe Warthen was trying to be funny but he went much too far. Surely Cashman said a stupid thing and he deserved to get jumped on. For a GM to basically trash the player he just signed is almost too ridiculous to fathom.
The only possible answer is that Cashman was expressing frustration at having been overruled on still another player he didn’t want in the first place, the other being Rafael Soriano, the expensive new setup man from Atlanta. In doing so though, he’s distancing himself from decisions on players that show every indication of being very successful as Yankees.
Cashman had already been on record as feeling that Jeter, the esteemed Yankees captain, was asking for way too much money. If Cashman’s trolling for his next job, this is not the way to go about it. Airing dirty laundry is the no-no of all time in most personnel circles.
If Warthen’s attitude is representative of Mets management, I can understand their players not putting themselves out. Why should they wear themselves out for a team that doesn’t even appreciate their efforts?
The other stupid thing about Warthen’s comments is that they aren’t even true. The Mets never pushed Feliciano into action against his will. Feliciano wanted to pitch at every opportunity. It became his Mets persona. He became a respected if not beloved ”Perpetual Pedro.”
Warthen should take a walk. It wouldn’t bother me. There are plenty of pitching coaches out there. And yes, the Mets pitching staff has been very good under his tutelage but whether their success can be attributed to him is very doubtful. It would set a terrific example to fire his sorry butt.
Warthen should at least be forced to apologize. I can’t think of a more insipid thing for a Mets manager to say. “Yes, we abused his arm and since we realized we abused his arm, we didn’t re-sign him”. What an idiot.
Except for Warthen though, Mets fans have a lot to be thankful for this morning. Having taken two out of three from Florida on the road, having received two exceptional pitching performances and contributions at the plate from virtually every spot in the lineup, all this bodes well for the future.
For me, the fact that they lost the opener was a good omen. After all, the end results were awful when they won the opener. Why shouldn’t the reverse be true?
But, as bad as the Mets looked in the opener, they were almost as bad for about 8 innings of Game 2. Except for Wright, Davis and Beltran, things were pretty quiet.
But the Mets were tough in the ninth and tenth innings. Ike Davis and Josh Thole produced a run in the top of the ninth to give the Mets the lead. But K-Rod gave it back in the bottom half. The Mets came right back though with singles by Reyes and Pagan followed by ribbie hits from Wright and the surprising Willie Harris.
The Mets were up by a seemingly insurmountable three runs, but, given K-Rod’s failure in the 9th and only an unproven bullpen standing between them and defeat, no lead seemed safe. But Blaine Boyer held the Marlins to just one run to preserve the victory.
The story of Game 3 was pretty much R.A. Dickey. His knuckler was working just fine as he gave up just one earned run over the first 6 innings, proving his mind wasn’t totally focused on Mount Kilamanjaro, which he has vowed to climb after the season.
The relievers gave up just one more run over the last three. Meanwhile, the Mets jumped all over former Yankee Javier Vasquez for 7 runs and the final wound up being 9-2. All in all for the series, the Marlins looked like the Marlins have always looked, Josh Johnson and pray for rain.
Reality may rear its ugly head tonight though as the Phillies come to town. Newcomer Chris Young will have to face Cole Hamels in the opener, and, although the Mets have, believe it or not, roughed up Hamels in the past, this game could wind up getting ugly.
Even without their All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, the Phils still look pretty formidable offensively, with a seemingly rejuvenated Jimmy Rollins and the same cast of characters that have terrorized NL pitching for the last couple of years, the only notable exception being Jayson Werth, whose absence has so far gone unnoticed.
The Mets will need some luck. And a closed mouth from Warthen.
How can a pitching coach trash his former player for pitching his heart out for you? I know he was responding to another idiot’s (Cashman’s) claim that Pedro Feliciano had been trashed and abused by the Mets, and no doubt Warthen was just expressing what would come naturally to just about anyone when he asked why the Yankees signed him in the first place, but to then go further by saying that the number of innings Pedro threw was the reason the Mets didn’t re-sign him, that’s just stupid.
What is Feliciano supposed to think now? What are the other Mets pitchers thinking? What is any Mets player to think whenever the choice to play a little dinged up presents itself? Especially a team that has been beset by injuries to key players, especially a team that has seen one outfielder (Jason Bay) stay home for two months with a concussion and then another two weeks with some mysterious oblique injury, especially a team that has seen its star player (Carlos Beltran) sit out for the better part of two years with knee troubles, that team should express nothing but heartfelt gratitude when a guy like Feliciano puts his arm on the line.
Maybe Warthen was trying to be funny but he went much too far. Surely Cashman said a stupid thing and he deserved to get jumped on. For a GM to basically trash the player he just signed is almost too ridiculous to fathom.
The only possible answer is that Cashman was expressing frustration at having been overruled on still another player he didn’t want in the first place, the other being Rafael Soriano, the expensive new setup man from Atlanta. In doing so though, he’s distancing himself from decisions on players that show every indication of being very successful as Yankees.
Cashman had already been on record as feeling that Jeter, the esteemed Yankees captain, was asking for way too much money. If Cashman’s trolling for his next job, this is not the way to go about it. Airing dirty laundry is the no-no of all time in most personnel circles.
If Warthen’s attitude is representative of Mets management, I can understand their players not putting themselves out. Why should they wear themselves out for a team that doesn’t even appreciate their efforts?
The other stupid thing about Warthen’s comments is that they aren’t even true. The Mets never pushed Feliciano into action against his will. Feliciano wanted to pitch at every opportunity. It became his Mets persona. He became a respected if not beloved ”Perpetual Pedro.”
Warthen should take a walk. It wouldn’t bother me. There are plenty of pitching coaches out there. And yes, the Mets pitching staff has been very good under his tutelage but whether their success can be attributed to him is very doubtful. It would set a terrific example to fire his sorry butt.
Warthen should at least be forced to apologize. I can’t think of a more insipid thing for a Mets manager to say. “Yes, we abused his arm and since we realized we abused his arm, we didn’t re-sign him”. What an idiot.
Except for Warthen though, Mets fans have a lot to be thankful for this morning. Having taken two out of three from Florida on the road, having received two exceptional pitching performances and contributions at the plate from virtually every spot in the lineup, all this bodes well for the future.
For me, the fact that they lost the opener was a good omen. After all, the end results were awful when they won the opener. Why shouldn’t the reverse be true?
But, as bad as the Mets looked in the opener, they were almost as bad for about 8 innings of Game 2. Except for Wright, Davis and Beltran, things were pretty quiet.
But the Mets were tough in the ninth and tenth innings. Ike Davis and Josh Thole produced a run in the top of the ninth to give the Mets the lead. But K-Rod gave it back in the bottom half. The Mets came right back though with singles by Reyes and Pagan followed by ribbie hits from Wright and the surprising Willie Harris.
The Mets were up by a seemingly insurmountable three runs, but, given K-Rod’s failure in the 9th and only an unproven bullpen standing between them and defeat, no lead seemed safe. But Blaine Boyer held the Marlins to just one run to preserve the victory.
The story of Game 3 was pretty much R.A. Dickey. His knuckler was working just fine as he gave up just one earned run over the first 6 innings, proving his mind wasn’t totally focused on Mount Kilamanjaro, which he has vowed to climb after the season.
The relievers gave up just one more run over the last three. Meanwhile, the Mets jumped all over former Yankee Javier Vasquez for 7 runs and the final wound up being 9-2. All in all for the series, the Marlins looked like the Marlins have always looked, Josh Johnson and pray for rain.
Reality may rear its ugly head tonight though as the Phillies come to town. Newcomer Chris Young will have to face Cole Hamels in the opener, and, although the Mets have, believe it or not, roughed up Hamels in the past, this game could wind up getting ugly.
Even without their All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, the Phils still look pretty formidable offensively, with a seemingly rejuvenated Jimmy Rollins and the same cast of characters that have terrorized NL pitching for the last couple of years, the only notable exception being Jayson Werth, whose absence has so far gone unnoticed.
The Mets will need some luck. And a closed mouth from Warthen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
