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.
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
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.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Gotta Have Skin in the Game
How can you be interested in a sport if you have no team in the hunt?
In the case of college football, I don’t know why I watch college football at all. If it were just for Rutgers, there would be no way I could watch it. It’s hard to get interested in a game for which your local representative plays so poorly. Speaking as a Rutgers alumnus, thank you very much but I’d rather have no football program at all than have to be embarrassed every week by Rutgers and the complacent Greg Schiano. Just to put perspective around how bad Rutgers really is, Schiano’s defense against the likes of Cincinnati was torched for 60 or so points while Connecticut just held them to 17 points. I could grab a couple of kids off the street who’d play better pass defense than Schiano’s sorry group in the secondary.
Nevertheless, I’m sitting here watching Michigan State start to pound Penn State (it’s now 21-10) . And why exactly? Well, Penn State after all has Joe Paterno as the head coach and it’s a clean program too, as far as anyone can tell. What’s not to like about Penn State? They always play defense and very seldom embarrass themselves. They are the anti-Rutgers.
Ohio State too in the Big Ten gets some of my attention if only because my son went to school in Ohio and I can recall a great time watching an OSU game in a shopping mall in Columbus. I also had a friend and co-worker whose daily fervor for the Buckeyes was easily enough to get me excited. But if it weren’t for those two teams, I wouldn’t be watching at all. You have to have a team in the hunt…some skin in the game. That rooting interest can spring from locale of course but only as modified by a team’s ownership and management and players from year to year. Oh yeah, and whether they win or not.
If loyalties depended entirely on wins and losses though, everybody’d be a Yankee fan. Happily for human nature and pocket books everywhere, that is not the case.
My chief interest this time of year goes to professional football, mostly, to be honest, because that’s where my skin in the game resides. We live in the New York area, of course, so why would I like any other team besides the Giants or Jets?
The answer lies in fantasy football, of course, a place to field my very own team. So my rooting interest this Thanksgiving was firmly with the Saints and Drew Brees, who had the skill and moxy to throw long down the field on a third down to hit Bobby Meachem in stride for about 60 yards before delivering a perfect strike to, who else, Lance Moore for a touchdown. And I managed to get a glimpse in the 4 o’clock game of Miles Austin, wide receiver for Dallas and Dem Crabs, racing around the end for about 60 yards and a TD against the Lions.
But overall it was a bad day. The Saints scored mostly on the ground and Jahvid Best didn’t play at all, making my decision to bench Ahmad Bradshaw look ridiculous, despite Coughlin’s foolish decision to punish him. My opponent didn’t fare too well either though, starting with Mark Sanchez, who didn’t exactly shine in the Jets victory over the Bungles. And his star player, Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew, has to face the Giants on Sunday, a matchup that should favor the Giants, who aren’t as yet totally decimated on the defensive side of the ball.
If I can be said to have a team at all in the NFL, it is the Giants, who are in trouble now after losing several key players to injuries. The Giants are owned by one of the most venerable football families in the universe, the Maras. They’ve won multiple Super Bowls and have brought us great players and great management too. They have a long-time philosophy that stresses the running game and defense. Their GM’s and coaches have generally excelled over the years. Although they might not quite match the Rooneys in Pittsburgh, they are a team well worthy of commanding my attention.
On the other hand are the Jets. Although I like the head coach, the owner’s a little too theatrical for me. He’ll always take the hit in my mind for Brett Favre becoming a Jet, thus single-handedly taking them out of the playoffs. Their GM is totally heartless, a reflection of ownership too, I guess, as he has shown year after year, most recently in the dumping of Leon Washington. The players themselves are a mixed bunch. They have a bunch of guys that are hard to warm up to, Bart Scott, Braylon Edwards, and yes, even Santonio Holmes and his remarkable elusiveness in the end zone. But their success is hard to ignore despite their frailties in the character department.
My point is, it’s easy to be an NFL fan, less so for NCAA football and, heretofore at least, it’s been almost impossible to follow any brand of basketball, be it NBA, NCAA or otherwise. Once again, those feelings can be directly traced to the sorry state of the Knicks, Nets, Rutgers and Seton Hall. If our local team in either MLB league were the likes of the Chicago Cubs, it’d surely affect your love for the game and the league bringing it to you.
Happily for basketball fans, the Knicks mismanagement has considerably improved and the Nets have changed dramatically for the better. The Knicks finally have some players D’Antoni actually likes and the Nets under Avery Johnson have begun to show some predilection for playing on the defensive side of the ball. I’m enjoying basketball again.
I now find myself watching the local games, the NBA Network and yes, I even crave the witticisms of Charles Barkley. I even joined a public fantasy basketball league. Who’s next? Hubie Brown?
In the case of college football, I don’t know why I watch college football at all. If it were just for Rutgers, there would be no way I could watch it. It’s hard to get interested in a game for which your local representative plays so poorly. Speaking as a Rutgers alumnus, thank you very much but I’d rather have no football program at all than have to be embarrassed every week by Rutgers and the complacent Greg Schiano. Just to put perspective around how bad Rutgers really is, Schiano’s defense against the likes of Cincinnati was torched for 60 or so points while Connecticut just held them to 17 points. I could grab a couple of kids off the street who’d play better pass defense than Schiano’s sorry group in the secondary.
Nevertheless, I’m sitting here watching Michigan State start to pound Penn State (it’s now 21-10) . And why exactly? Well, Penn State after all has Joe Paterno as the head coach and it’s a clean program too, as far as anyone can tell. What’s not to like about Penn State? They always play defense and very seldom embarrass themselves. They are the anti-Rutgers.
Ohio State too in the Big Ten gets some of my attention if only because my son went to school in Ohio and I can recall a great time watching an OSU game in a shopping mall in Columbus. I also had a friend and co-worker whose daily fervor for the Buckeyes was easily enough to get me excited. But if it weren’t for those two teams, I wouldn’t be watching at all. You have to have a team in the hunt…some skin in the game. That rooting interest can spring from locale of course but only as modified by a team’s ownership and management and players from year to year. Oh yeah, and whether they win or not.
If loyalties depended entirely on wins and losses though, everybody’d be a Yankee fan. Happily for human nature and pocket books everywhere, that is not the case.
My chief interest this time of year goes to professional football, mostly, to be honest, because that’s where my skin in the game resides. We live in the New York area, of course, so why would I like any other team besides the Giants or Jets?
The answer lies in fantasy football, of course, a place to field my very own team. So my rooting interest this Thanksgiving was firmly with the Saints and Drew Brees, who had the skill and moxy to throw long down the field on a third down to hit Bobby Meachem in stride for about 60 yards before delivering a perfect strike to, who else, Lance Moore for a touchdown. And I managed to get a glimpse in the 4 o’clock game of Miles Austin, wide receiver for Dallas and Dem Crabs, racing around the end for about 60 yards and a TD against the Lions.
But overall it was a bad day. The Saints scored mostly on the ground and Jahvid Best didn’t play at all, making my decision to bench Ahmad Bradshaw look ridiculous, despite Coughlin’s foolish decision to punish him. My opponent didn’t fare too well either though, starting with Mark Sanchez, who didn’t exactly shine in the Jets victory over the Bungles. And his star player, Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew, has to face the Giants on Sunday, a matchup that should favor the Giants, who aren’t as yet totally decimated on the defensive side of the ball.
If I can be said to have a team at all in the NFL, it is the Giants, who are in trouble now after losing several key players to injuries. The Giants are owned by one of the most venerable football families in the universe, the Maras. They’ve won multiple Super Bowls and have brought us great players and great management too. They have a long-time philosophy that stresses the running game and defense. Their GM’s and coaches have generally excelled over the years. Although they might not quite match the Rooneys in Pittsburgh, they are a team well worthy of commanding my attention.
On the other hand are the Jets. Although I like the head coach, the owner’s a little too theatrical for me. He’ll always take the hit in my mind for Brett Favre becoming a Jet, thus single-handedly taking them out of the playoffs. Their GM is totally heartless, a reflection of ownership too, I guess, as he has shown year after year, most recently in the dumping of Leon Washington. The players themselves are a mixed bunch. They have a bunch of guys that are hard to warm up to, Bart Scott, Braylon Edwards, and yes, even Santonio Holmes and his remarkable elusiveness in the end zone. But their success is hard to ignore despite their frailties in the character department.
My point is, it’s easy to be an NFL fan, less so for NCAA football and, heretofore at least, it’s been almost impossible to follow any brand of basketball, be it NBA, NCAA or otherwise. Once again, those feelings can be directly traced to the sorry state of the Knicks, Nets, Rutgers and Seton Hall. If our local team in either MLB league were the likes of the Chicago Cubs, it’d surely affect your love for the game and the league bringing it to you.
Happily for basketball fans, the Knicks mismanagement has considerably improved and the Nets have changed dramatically for the better. The Knicks finally have some players D’Antoni actually likes and the Nets under Avery Johnson have begun to show some predilection for playing on the defensive side of the ball. I’m enjoying basketball again.
I now find myself watching the local games, the NBA Network and yes, I even crave the witticisms of Charles Barkley. I even joined a public fantasy basketball league. Who’s next? Hubie Brown?
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Relief Needed - for the Mets and Jersey
Aah, another July in New Jersey, smack in the middle of a hot streak that’s gone on for about a week already, what more could we want? Relief, you say? Well, we might get some from the weather but not from the Mets, who seem locked in on this “win one, lose one” pattern for quite a while now.
That pattern was achieved against the Washingtons and Floridas of the world. One would have to think the Cincinnatis and Atlantas, the upcoming set of series, of the world would make things even tougher. And so it seemed last night as the Mets lost the Reds opener, 8-6, mostly because of Mike Pelfrey and Joey Votto.
Joey Votto now has 21 homers and 59 rbi’s and he’s hitting .318. He hit two of those last night and that second one that gave the Reds an insurance run in the 6th after the Mets came within a run of tying the game in the bottom of that ridiculous fifth inning. Pelfrey was pretty bad last night, something that hasn’t happened to him for quite some time. He gets a pass from me for being 10-3 and helping keep the Mets in the race all season.
But Mike looks ridiculously hittable lately to me. That fact, along with his penchant for walks, sours me on his prospects for the rest of the season, and I no longer am entertaining any fantasies about him winning 20 games. I had been thinking for a while that he’d be challenging Johan for dominance. But I don’t think that anymore.
Santana had a pretty miserable June himself, but he really looked pretty good in his last outing on July 1st. Even though he didn’t pick up a win, as, once again, the Mets didn’t hit in his behalf, he showed he hasn’t lost his fastball altogether and showed the command of an ace, giving up just 1 run over 6 complete.
I’m counting on Santana in the second half. I don’t want to put all my marbles on Jonathon Niese, who went 4-0 in June, but is just a second-year (for all intents) guy. And, as much as I’ve loved the performances we’ve gotten from the knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, I just can’t seem to muster any real faith that his ridiculously good season can continue.
Dickey got smacked around by the Marlins back on June 28th to end his 6-game winning streak. I thought, “Well, that’s the end for him.” But then on July 3rd, he came right back to pitch great against the Nationals, going 7 full innings while allowing no earned runs.
K-Rod lost that one for him, but, once again, K-Rod gets a free pass from me too, as he’s been pretty damned consistent if a little less than lights-out. Ideally, he could stop scaring everyone half to death all the time before he finally extinguishes the fire he’s started. But, realistically, who’d you rather have as your closer?
That leaves Takahashi to discuss. He’s been still another mostly pleasant surprise all season long despite his getting banged around by Detroit and the Marlins before righting his ship against the Nationals. Word is that he’s supposed to go back to the bullpen. But that’s if and when the Mets acquire another starter and I won’t be holding my breath on that happening. Yeah, I know, “ye of little faith.”
But really, if I can look forward to winning a game with any of these Mets starters, I’m not going to be really upset. And God only knows what Omar will give up for another real-live starter. I mean, this is the guy who traded away Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and (gasp) Cliff Lee for Bartolo Colon. (I heard that just the other night from Cohen and I still can’t believe it).
Yeah, a large portion of our success will depend upon these relievers holding up. Perpetual Pedro has been great, more or less, but then there’re some question marks from a consistency standpoint. Parnell’s been better than okay after his return but Igarashi and Nieve have been a little disappointing. And I never expect too much from Dessens, who always looks older than me.
(Uruguay has just tied the Dutch at 1-1 on a beautiful long strike from Forlan. I thought they’d have no chance without Suarez, he of handball fame).
With John Maine and Ollie Perez still on the roster though, albeit on the disabled list right now, it’ll be very difficult to justify picking up another starter. I could better imagine Omar picking up a reliever. After all, that is what the Mets need right now. If they pick up another starter, they’d just move Takahashi to the pen. But there’s no guarantee he’ll be better in the pen than he’s been as a starter.
In any event, the Mets are currently two games behind the division leading Braves and at their current winning percentage, they’ll likely win 90 games. I don’t think that will be sufficient to win the division. It’s definitely wildcard territory, I suppose, but just barely in all likelihood.
(Netherlands just missed a scoring opportunity; maybe they will actually lose this World Cup right here).
(Unbelievable! The Dutch just scored on a dribbler deflection).
It’d sure be nice if Reyes gets back in the lineup really soon. Especially against a high-scoring team like the Reds, we need Reyes in there. The Mets missed his defense bigtime the other day and Ruben Tejada just doesn’t inspire me (or the Mets apparently).
At least Angel Pagan is back, and Jason Bay seems to be playing with more confidence. He seems less tentative and less content to settle for a walk in big situations. But, even with Wright, Pagan and Bay swinging torrid bats, against the Cincinnatis and Atlantas of the world, we still need to get Reyes back in there to win.
We need relief, in the bullpen, in the lineup, and most certainly from this horrible Jersey July.
HTML Hit Counters
That pattern was achieved against the Washingtons and Floridas of the world. One would have to think the Cincinnatis and Atlantas, the upcoming set of series, of the world would make things even tougher. And so it seemed last night as the Mets lost the Reds opener, 8-6, mostly because of Mike Pelfrey and Joey Votto.
Joey Votto now has 21 homers and 59 rbi’s and he’s hitting .318. He hit two of those last night and that second one that gave the Reds an insurance run in the 6th after the Mets came within a run of tying the game in the bottom of that ridiculous fifth inning. Pelfrey was pretty bad last night, something that hasn’t happened to him for quite some time. He gets a pass from me for being 10-3 and helping keep the Mets in the race all season.
But Mike looks ridiculously hittable lately to me. That fact, along with his penchant for walks, sours me on his prospects for the rest of the season, and I no longer am entertaining any fantasies about him winning 20 games. I had been thinking for a while that he’d be challenging Johan for dominance. But I don’t think that anymore.
Santana had a pretty miserable June himself, but he really looked pretty good in his last outing on July 1st. Even though he didn’t pick up a win, as, once again, the Mets didn’t hit in his behalf, he showed he hasn’t lost his fastball altogether and showed the command of an ace, giving up just 1 run over 6 complete.
I’m counting on Santana in the second half. I don’t want to put all my marbles on Jonathon Niese, who went 4-0 in June, but is just a second-year (for all intents) guy. And, as much as I’ve loved the performances we’ve gotten from the knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, I just can’t seem to muster any real faith that his ridiculously good season can continue.
Dickey got smacked around by the Marlins back on June 28th to end his 6-game winning streak. I thought, “Well, that’s the end for him.” But then on July 3rd, he came right back to pitch great against the Nationals, going 7 full innings while allowing no earned runs.
K-Rod lost that one for him, but, once again, K-Rod gets a free pass from me too, as he’s been pretty damned consistent if a little less than lights-out. Ideally, he could stop scaring everyone half to death all the time before he finally extinguishes the fire he’s started. But, realistically, who’d you rather have as your closer?
That leaves Takahashi to discuss. He’s been still another mostly pleasant surprise all season long despite his getting banged around by Detroit and the Marlins before righting his ship against the Nationals. Word is that he’s supposed to go back to the bullpen. But that’s if and when the Mets acquire another starter and I won’t be holding my breath on that happening. Yeah, I know, “ye of little faith.”
But really, if I can look forward to winning a game with any of these Mets starters, I’m not going to be really upset. And God only knows what Omar will give up for another real-live starter. I mean, this is the guy who traded away Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and (gasp) Cliff Lee for Bartolo Colon. (I heard that just the other night from Cohen and I still can’t believe it).
Yeah, a large portion of our success will depend upon these relievers holding up. Perpetual Pedro has been great, more or less, but then there’re some question marks from a consistency standpoint. Parnell’s been better than okay after his return but Igarashi and Nieve have been a little disappointing. And I never expect too much from Dessens, who always looks older than me.
(Uruguay has just tied the Dutch at 1-1 on a beautiful long strike from Forlan. I thought they’d have no chance without Suarez, he of handball fame).
With John Maine and Ollie Perez still on the roster though, albeit on the disabled list right now, it’ll be very difficult to justify picking up another starter. I could better imagine Omar picking up a reliever. After all, that is what the Mets need right now. If they pick up another starter, they’d just move Takahashi to the pen. But there’s no guarantee he’ll be better in the pen than he’s been as a starter.
In any event, the Mets are currently two games behind the division leading Braves and at their current winning percentage, they’ll likely win 90 games. I don’t think that will be sufficient to win the division. It’s definitely wildcard territory, I suppose, but just barely in all likelihood.
(Netherlands just missed a scoring opportunity; maybe they will actually lose this World Cup right here).
(Unbelievable! The Dutch just scored on a dribbler deflection).
It’d sure be nice if Reyes gets back in the lineup really soon. Especially against a high-scoring team like the Reds, we need Reyes in there. The Mets missed his defense bigtime the other day and Ruben Tejada just doesn’t inspire me (or the Mets apparently).
At least Angel Pagan is back, and Jason Bay seems to be playing with more confidence. He seems less tentative and less content to settle for a walk in big situations. But, even with Wright, Pagan and Bay swinging torrid bats, against the Cincinnatis and Atlantas of the world, we still need to get Reyes back in there to win.
We need relief, in the bullpen, in the lineup, and most certainly from this horrible Jersey July.
HTML Hit Counters
Monday, March 22, 2010
All About Relief for the Mets
Okay, I’m psyched. “30 Clubs in 30 Days” is on the tube, it’s raining so I can’t be doing anything else, the grass, the paneling, the roof leak, the paint, and the MLB Channel is featuring the Giants. (No, not those pansies with the secondary that can’t cover).
Oh baby! Here’s Bruce Bochy! (Giants manager).
The Giants are all about pitching. Notables are that little whipper Lincecum and Matt Cain and Barry Friggin’ Zito and more. They have no offense to speak of…well, it’s actually pretty unspeakable.They’ve got this big kid closing too, one Brian Wilson who’s got a great fastball and is wasting his time developing a breaking ball.
What are the Mets all about? Umm….injuries? How about lack of focus? It sure seems that way sometimes. But let me try harder…really think about this team. Pitching? A little shaky, especially the starters if they stay with Maine and Perez. Santana’s looking recovered but will he be the same Santana?
I saw John Maine down in Florida and he was awful. He had a better outing his next time out but here is a guy who looks as if he just doesn’t care. He has no presence whatsoever. I’m really tired of his act. I think a little recess in AAA is long overdue for him. Perez….even if he were having a good spring, (which, to my mind he’s really not, he’s still good one day and awful the next), is an unknown and, if he has a bad start, he should go to Buffalo along with Maine.
That would leave a rotation of Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Jonathan Niese and Nelson Figueroa or Bobby Parnell. I’d be happier with that, but it’s hardly a world-beater starting rotation. All is not lost though. Niese can really be very good and Figgy always gives a good effort. I’d rather see Bobby Parnell set up for Ol’ Pinkeye, the closer.
Speaking of relief, I think we can expect big things from them. I really like both the Japanese pickups, Igarashi and Takahashi, and Calero looks good too. They’ve got Feliciano to get out the odd lefty (aren’t they all a little odd?)
All in all, I’d have to say the 2010 Mets will NOT be all about starting pitching. It looks to me as if there’ll be a lot of five-inning stints, except for the horse Pelfrey, and we’ll be seeing a lot of these relievers, which really won’t be such a bad thing, not like 2008 anyway, when it was “batten down the hatches, here comes trouble.”
The relief pitching will keep the Mets in games for that offense.
Are the Mets all about hitting? No, especially as presently constructed. But, if Reyes and Beltran return in good form, things improve considerably. Pagan can be off and on offensively but isn’t a real liability in center. Then there’s Fernando Martinez, the rookie who’s wow-ing everybody but Mets management. To spell Reyes, there is just Alex Cora.
There’re worse leadoff guys in the game than Angel Pagan. (In fact, Reyes is one of them when he’s off in never-never land). Then there is ol’ steady Luis Castillo, who is reputed to be looking to drive the ball more this year, heh-heh. That leaves that all-important three-hole to David Wright, and he’s looking more athletic to me this year, not so bulky like an old softball player. And his swing seems faster, quicker. So the first three spots are reliable.
Manning the four through six lineup spots would be Jason Bay, Jeff Francoeur and David Murphy, not necessarily in that order. Bay has impressed me thus far and Francoeur is just a good guy all around. You just wish he’d swing at a strike once in a while. Murphy will be more reliable this year as he ended last year strongly and should benefit from the year at first base, if Mike Jacobs doesn’t drive him up the wall. Jacobs will provide a power threat that Murphy doesn’t really bring to the table.
So I’d say the middle lineup could be a pleasant surprise. There’re runs there somewhere.
Without Beltran and Reyes though, the Mets have just six batters. I count on nothing from Cora and Barajas. Hopefully, the Mets will finally give Omir Santos a chance. That’d improve a bleak seven and eight, but opposing pitchers will be able to pitch carefully to Francoeur and Murphy without a threat to follow.
Bring Reyes and Beltran back and things get way better in a hurry. Then you have eight solid hitters, if Santos catches. There will be nobody to pitch around. That means a lot in the National League, with only the pitcher to contend with at nine. Moving Francoeur and Murphy back to 6 and 7 and inserting Santos at 8 would give the lineup some punch all the way through. Reyes, Beltran, Bay, Wright, Francoeur…..I’m very much looking forward to it.
How about defense? Well, they’ll be okay without Reyes and Beltran but things get better in a hurry if they come back real soon, not because their replacements are bad fielders but just that Reyes and Beltran are terrific. So, yeah, the Mets could be all about defense in time.
So, the Mets won’t be all about anything really, at least not to start with. If they’ll be about anything, it’ll be relief…the return of two star players and that strong relieving corps. They’ll have trouble early with the Marlins and Braves for sure, and forget about playing with the Phillies. The best they could hope for would be a .500 record going into May.
But, when Beltran and Reyes return, the Mets will become a real force. Anyway you look at it, Beltran and Reyes will drastically improve the lineup and the defense. The relief pitching willl keep them in games in the bad times and keep them ahead in the good times.
Prognostication? With Beltran and Reyes - 2nd in NL East and possible wildcard. Without them, 4th.
Oh baby! Here’s Bruce Bochy! (Giants manager).
The Giants are all about pitching. Notables are that little whipper Lincecum and Matt Cain and Barry Friggin’ Zito and more. They have no offense to speak of…well, it’s actually pretty unspeakable.They’ve got this big kid closing too, one Brian Wilson who’s got a great fastball and is wasting his time developing a breaking ball.
What are the Mets all about? Umm….injuries? How about lack of focus? It sure seems that way sometimes. But let me try harder…really think about this team. Pitching? A little shaky, especially the starters if they stay with Maine and Perez. Santana’s looking recovered but will he be the same Santana?
I saw John Maine down in Florida and he was awful. He had a better outing his next time out but here is a guy who looks as if he just doesn’t care. He has no presence whatsoever. I’m really tired of his act. I think a little recess in AAA is long overdue for him. Perez….even if he were having a good spring, (which, to my mind he’s really not, he’s still good one day and awful the next), is an unknown and, if he has a bad start, he should go to Buffalo along with Maine.
That would leave a rotation of Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Jonathan Niese and Nelson Figueroa or Bobby Parnell. I’d be happier with that, but it’s hardly a world-beater starting rotation. All is not lost though. Niese can really be very good and Figgy always gives a good effort. I’d rather see Bobby Parnell set up for Ol’ Pinkeye, the closer.
Speaking of relief, I think we can expect big things from them. I really like both the Japanese pickups, Igarashi and Takahashi, and Calero looks good too. They’ve got Feliciano to get out the odd lefty (aren’t they all a little odd?)
All in all, I’d have to say the 2010 Mets will NOT be all about starting pitching. It looks to me as if there’ll be a lot of five-inning stints, except for the horse Pelfrey, and we’ll be seeing a lot of these relievers, which really won’t be such a bad thing, not like 2008 anyway, when it was “batten down the hatches, here comes trouble.”
The relief pitching will keep the Mets in games for that offense.
Are the Mets all about hitting? No, especially as presently constructed. But, if Reyes and Beltran return in good form, things improve considerably. Pagan can be off and on offensively but isn’t a real liability in center. Then there’s Fernando Martinez, the rookie who’s wow-ing everybody but Mets management. To spell Reyes, there is just Alex Cora.
There’re worse leadoff guys in the game than Angel Pagan. (In fact, Reyes is one of them when he’s off in never-never land). Then there is ol’ steady Luis Castillo, who is reputed to be looking to drive the ball more this year, heh-heh. That leaves that all-important three-hole to David Wright, and he’s looking more athletic to me this year, not so bulky like an old softball player. And his swing seems faster, quicker. So the first three spots are reliable.
Manning the four through six lineup spots would be Jason Bay, Jeff Francoeur and David Murphy, not necessarily in that order. Bay has impressed me thus far and Francoeur is just a good guy all around. You just wish he’d swing at a strike once in a while. Murphy will be more reliable this year as he ended last year strongly and should benefit from the year at first base, if Mike Jacobs doesn’t drive him up the wall. Jacobs will provide a power threat that Murphy doesn’t really bring to the table.
So I’d say the middle lineup could be a pleasant surprise. There’re runs there somewhere.
Without Beltran and Reyes though, the Mets have just six batters. I count on nothing from Cora and Barajas. Hopefully, the Mets will finally give Omir Santos a chance. That’d improve a bleak seven and eight, but opposing pitchers will be able to pitch carefully to Francoeur and Murphy without a threat to follow.
Bring Reyes and Beltran back and things get way better in a hurry. Then you have eight solid hitters, if Santos catches. There will be nobody to pitch around. That means a lot in the National League, with only the pitcher to contend with at nine. Moving Francoeur and Murphy back to 6 and 7 and inserting Santos at 8 would give the lineup some punch all the way through. Reyes, Beltran, Bay, Wright, Francoeur…..I’m very much looking forward to it.
How about defense? Well, they’ll be okay without Reyes and Beltran but things get better in a hurry if they come back real soon, not because their replacements are bad fielders but just that Reyes and Beltran are terrific. So, yeah, the Mets could be all about defense in time.
So, the Mets won’t be all about anything really, at least not to start with. If they’ll be about anything, it’ll be relief…the return of two star players and that strong relieving corps. They’ll have trouble early with the Marlins and Braves for sure, and forget about playing with the Phillies. The best they could hope for would be a .500 record going into May.
But, when Beltran and Reyes return, the Mets will become a real force. Anyway you look at it, Beltran and Reyes will drastically improve the lineup and the defense. The relief pitching willl keep them in games in the bad times and keep them ahead in the good times.
Prognostication? With Beltran and Reyes - 2nd in NL East and possible wildcard. Without them, 4th.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Out With the Old...Within Limits
Playoffs week 1 went as well as could be expected. The Jets won and I went 3 and 1 on my picks against the spread. What could be better? Not even if Carlos Beltran were to come back in April from his latest surprise surgery and just start acting as a member of the team again, not even that would make me happier than that the Jets actually won a playoff game.
Can the Jets beat San Diego? Of course they can. Anything can happen in the NFL. If Rivers goes down, if LaDainian goes down, if Gates and Jackson and Sproles all turn in clunkers, the Jets can win again. But I don’t expect it. They’ll cover the spread though, which is currently at 7 ½ but had been even higher. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Taking things in order:
Sat 4:30 – New Orleans Superdome
SAINTS -7 Cardinals
I’m still mad. That the Cardinals beat the Packers at all is still killing me. The Packers played a stupid defense and stayed in it. It had to be heartbreaking for the Pack. I say it’s time to sweep out the old and bring in the new blood. Kurt Warner had his day. Saturday won’t be another for him.
When the Saints come marching in, they’ll be doing so at full strength. The Saints are back. Their defense will be intact for the first time in a long time. Jeremy Shockey will be back too. Shockey of the big mouth, big biceps, big tattoos and more important, big blocking ability and big receiving threat, will be on the field. Shockey makes a difference on that offensive line.
Drew Brees will finally get the time he needs to look downfield, the running game should get a boost, and the Cardinals will have every reason to quit, something they’ve shown themselves only too willing to do at times in the past.
A 7-point spread is big though and the over/under of 57 is huge. If the whistles stay quiet, this could be quite a different game. I look for the Saints to play a keep-away game, something they should be able to re-establish on Saturday. Look for the Saints to establish Pierre Thomas in the running game, something they haven’t been able to do since Week 13.
Since Week 13, the Saints haven’t run the ball. Their points scored suffered dramatically as a result. An offense that had been scoring in the 30’s and 40’s scored 17, 17 and 10 points respectively in Weeks 15 through 17. They managed to win against Atlanta in Week 14 with Shockey in the lineup. The Saints are undefeated with Shockey and 0-3 without him.
The Dome will be rockin’……Saints 30-17.
Sat 8:15 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
COLTS -6 ½ Ravens
The Colts are tough and they may win this one but it won’t be a romp for sure. The Colts took their first contest by a score of 17-15. They’re rested but have absolutely no momentum going into this game. But guess what? The Colts have an offensive line second to none. They’ll protect Manning, who, by the way, has never lost to the Ravens.
But the Ravens are playing better than ever. Both Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are pounding that rock and everybody’s playing inspired behind gimpy-hipped Joe Flacco. They have all the momentum in the world going into this one.
But Flacco made the big mistake in their first contest. He was intercepted in the final minutes after having negotiated a long drive to the Colts 12-yard line.
This will be a war……..Ravens 24-22
Sunday 1PM – Mall of America Field, Minneapolis
VIKINGS -2 ½ Cowboys
Out with the old, in with the new. Favre will find he’s got Boyz in his face. There’ll be none of the pump-fake nonsense he’s perpetrated against a lot of teams. Before pounding the hapless Giants, who could never defend anything, the Vikes had lost to the Panthers and Bears. The Panthers held the Vikes to 7 total points while the Bears simply outscored them 36-30.
Wade Phillips knows defense. Tony Romo knows offense. It’s Romo’s time. Favre has had his moments and Sunday looks to not be one of them. Look for the Boyz to stop Adrian Peterson, take an early lead, and then take a few INT’s from a desperate Favre down the stretch.
Look for the Vikes to put 20 on the board. Look for the Boyz to get a few more.
Cowboys 27-20
Sunday, 4:40 PM – Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
CHARGERS -7 ½ Jets
While I’d love to say “out with the old, in with the new” once again, we have Phillip Rivers, who isn’t that old, going against Mark Sanchez, who’s a little too young. As well as the Jets have been playing, the Chargers have been doing it better and longer. The Chargers have just the type of versatile offense to give the Jets fits.
The Bengals didn’t have enough weapons. Carson Palmer had no time and Ochocinco was blanketed by Revis. Their second wide-out was Laverneus Coles. There were no other targets to speak of and the Bengals missed two field goals. The Jets running backs ran wild and a great offensive game plan worked to perfection but under no real duress.
I’m expecting a great deal of duress Sunday afternoon. Although the Chargers haven’t been able to get their running game going, their passing offense hasn’t been stopped. The Chargers are for real with Vincent Jackson on one side and Malcolm Floyd on the other. Then there is Antonio Gates. They’re all tall and can catch the ball, unlike one Braylon Edwards, who’ll drop anything he has to think about.
All that being said, the Chargers will be facing a fired-up young squad that won’t quit. The Jets will undoubtedly have some success on the ground, but unless they can take and hold the lead against one of the NFL’s finest offenses, they’ll have to throw. It won’t work.
Chargers 24-20, Jets cover
Can the Jets beat San Diego? Of course they can. Anything can happen in the NFL. If Rivers goes down, if LaDainian goes down, if Gates and Jackson and Sproles all turn in clunkers, the Jets can win again. But I don’t expect it. They’ll cover the spread though, which is currently at 7 ½ but had been even higher. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Taking things in order:
Sat 4:30 – New Orleans Superdome
SAINTS -7 Cardinals
I’m still mad. That the Cardinals beat the Packers at all is still killing me. The Packers played a stupid defense and stayed in it. It had to be heartbreaking for the Pack. I say it’s time to sweep out the old and bring in the new blood. Kurt Warner had his day. Saturday won’t be another for him.
When the Saints come marching in, they’ll be doing so at full strength. The Saints are back. Their defense will be intact for the first time in a long time. Jeremy Shockey will be back too. Shockey of the big mouth, big biceps, big tattoos and more important, big blocking ability and big receiving threat, will be on the field. Shockey makes a difference on that offensive line.
Drew Brees will finally get the time he needs to look downfield, the running game should get a boost, and the Cardinals will have every reason to quit, something they’ve shown themselves only too willing to do at times in the past.
A 7-point spread is big though and the over/under of 57 is huge. If the whistles stay quiet, this could be quite a different game. I look for the Saints to play a keep-away game, something they should be able to re-establish on Saturday. Look for the Saints to establish Pierre Thomas in the running game, something they haven’t been able to do since Week 13.
Since Week 13, the Saints haven’t run the ball. Their points scored suffered dramatically as a result. An offense that had been scoring in the 30’s and 40’s scored 17, 17 and 10 points respectively in Weeks 15 through 17. They managed to win against Atlanta in Week 14 with Shockey in the lineup. The Saints are undefeated with Shockey and 0-3 without him.
The Dome will be rockin’……Saints 30-17.
Sat 8:15 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
COLTS -6 ½ Ravens
The Colts are tough and they may win this one but it won’t be a romp for sure. The Colts took their first contest by a score of 17-15. They’re rested but have absolutely no momentum going into this game. But guess what? The Colts have an offensive line second to none. They’ll protect Manning, who, by the way, has never lost to the Ravens.
But the Ravens are playing better than ever. Both Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are pounding that rock and everybody’s playing inspired behind gimpy-hipped Joe Flacco. They have all the momentum in the world going into this one.
But Flacco made the big mistake in their first contest. He was intercepted in the final minutes after having negotiated a long drive to the Colts 12-yard line.
This will be a war……..Ravens 24-22
Sunday 1PM – Mall of America Field, Minneapolis
VIKINGS -2 ½ Cowboys
Out with the old, in with the new. Favre will find he’s got Boyz in his face. There’ll be none of the pump-fake nonsense he’s perpetrated against a lot of teams. Before pounding the hapless Giants, who could never defend anything, the Vikes had lost to the Panthers and Bears. The Panthers held the Vikes to 7 total points while the Bears simply outscored them 36-30.
Wade Phillips knows defense. Tony Romo knows offense. It’s Romo’s time. Favre has had his moments and Sunday looks to not be one of them. Look for the Boyz to stop Adrian Peterson, take an early lead, and then take a few INT’s from a desperate Favre down the stretch.
Look for the Vikes to put 20 on the board. Look for the Boyz to get a few more.
Cowboys 27-20
Sunday, 4:40 PM – Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
CHARGERS -7 ½ Jets
While I’d love to say “out with the old, in with the new” once again, we have Phillip Rivers, who isn’t that old, going against Mark Sanchez, who’s a little too young. As well as the Jets have been playing, the Chargers have been doing it better and longer. The Chargers have just the type of versatile offense to give the Jets fits.
The Bengals didn’t have enough weapons. Carson Palmer had no time and Ochocinco was blanketed by Revis. Their second wide-out was Laverneus Coles. There were no other targets to speak of and the Bengals missed two field goals. The Jets running backs ran wild and a great offensive game plan worked to perfection but under no real duress.
I’m expecting a great deal of duress Sunday afternoon. Although the Chargers haven’t been able to get their running game going, their passing offense hasn’t been stopped. The Chargers are for real with Vincent Jackson on one side and Malcolm Floyd on the other. Then there is Antonio Gates. They’re all tall and can catch the ball, unlike one Braylon Edwards, who’ll drop anything he has to think about.
All that being said, the Chargers will be facing a fired-up young squad that won’t quit. The Jets will undoubtedly have some success on the ground, but unless they can take and hold the lead against one of the NFL’s finest offenses, they’ll have to throw. It won’t work.
Chargers 24-20, Jets cover
Monday, June 22, 2009
June Snooze
There’s nothing to get excited about, I guess, but Mickelson just lost out on an Open win and now Sharapova has gotten by the first round at Wimbledon. The Penguins beat the Red Wings and the U.S. soccer team very unexpectedly got into the semifinals of the Confederations Cup. In just about everything except Major League Baseball, there’s excitement galore.
In baseball, nobody seems to want it, not unless you’re talking about the Colorado Rockies. They’ve won 8 straight and 16 of their last 17 games, an incredible streak for this fickle sport. But it is reminiscent of their World Series year when they preactically ran the table at the end of the regular season.
The incredible Denver contingent has swept St Louis and Milwaukee, taken two of three from the Rays and then swept the Pirates. If they can somehow get by the tough Angels and take the measure of the Oakland A’s, it’ll set up a real barn-burner against the Dodgers, presently the toughest team in both leagues by a large margin.
Of course, there are teams who want it, but the fates seem to be intervening on the side of the devils. In the case of our beloved Mets, they’re just totally snake-bit. Now Beltran is having an MRI, and if it shows something that indicates that playing will make his knee worse, Carlos will join all the others on the DL. Depending upon the length of his disability, that could really end things this year for our Metsies.
The Yanks have never been my favorite but they’re in the throes of a bad stretch too. They just have no relief pitching whatsoever. The starters look shaky lately, and come to think of it, the whole team really hasn’t been anything to write home about. Teixeira has been quite a find though.
Now Boston wants it, I’m sure of that. And it’s looking as if they’ll get it. Except for the conspicuous failures of Dice-K, the pitching looks as if it’s holding up and in the batting order, Big Papi is even starting to come around with 5 homers in June. They have some great relief pitchers in Papelbon, Saito, Ramirez, and Okajima, and it’s amazing that they’re not in front by even more than they are.
They talk about the dog days of August but right now, it sure seems to be occurring in June, much as this non-stop June rain reminds me of April. If Philadelphia were doing a little better, I’d just forget about the whole season right now. But it’s now official, Beltran will be out for a while and here come some pretty tough teams, St Louis, the Yanks and the Brewers to close out the month.
Maybe I should just pay attention to the tennis for a while and break my focus only for the NBA Draft. Thursday night should be interesting for both the Knicks and Nets, as there are some excellent players available at their respective draft positions.
The Knicks need a point guard and if they manage to get Curry from Davidson, they will have done very well for themselves. The Nets may go with a guard too, but I’m hoping they go a little bigger and get some really athletic guy who can shoot the ball, somebody like Vince Carter without the arm socks, or maybe a tough guy like Dejuan Blair.
Whatever else June might bring, let’s hope the baseball picks up a little. I just heard Tatis will be batting cleanup for the Metsies, God help us.
In baseball, nobody seems to want it, not unless you’re talking about the Colorado Rockies. They’ve won 8 straight and 16 of their last 17 games, an incredible streak for this fickle sport. But it is reminiscent of their World Series year when they preactically ran the table at the end of the regular season.
The incredible Denver contingent has swept St Louis and Milwaukee, taken two of three from the Rays and then swept the Pirates. If they can somehow get by the tough Angels and take the measure of the Oakland A’s, it’ll set up a real barn-burner against the Dodgers, presently the toughest team in both leagues by a large margin.
Of course, there are teams who want it, but the fates seem to be intervening on the side of the devils. In the case of our beloved Mets, they’re just totally snake-bit. Now Beltran is having an MRI, and if it shows something that indicates that playing will make his knee worse, Carlos will join all the others on the DL. Depending upon the length of his disability, that could really end things this year for our Metsies.
The Yanks have never been my favorite but they’re in the throes of a bad stretch too. They just have no relief pitching whatsoever. The starters look shaky lately, and come to think of it, the whole team really hasn’t been anything to write home about. Teixeira has been quite a find though.
Now Boston wants it, I’m sure of that. And it’s looking as if they’ll get it. Except for the conspicuous failures of Dice-K, the pitching looks as if it’s holding up and in the batting order, Big Papi is even starting to come around with 5 homers in June. They have some great relief pitchers in Papelbon, Saito, Ramirez, and Okajima, and it’s amazing that they’re not in front by even more than they are.
They talk about the dog days of August but right now, it sure seems to be occurring in June, much as this non-stop June rain reminds me of April. If Philadelphia were doing a little better, I’d just forget about the whole season right now. But it’s now official, Beltran will be out for a while and here come some pretty tough teams, St Louis, the Yanks and the Brewers to close out the month.
Maybe I should just pay attention to the tennis for a while and break my focus only for the NBA Draft. Thursday night should be interesting for both the Knicks and Nets, as there are some excellent players available at their respective draft positions.
The Knicks need a point guard and if they manage to get Curry from Davidson, they will have done very well for themselves. The Nets may go with a guard too, but I’m hoping they go a little bigger and get some really athletic guy who can shoot the ball, somebody like Vince Carter without the arm socks, or maybe a tough guy like Dejuan Blair.
Whatever else June might bring, let’s hope the baseball picks up a little. I just heard Tatis will be batting cleanup for the Metsies, God help us.
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