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We Believe in a Just World (Sort Of)

Written by Nikki DeMaio | 21 July 2010

Belief in a just world is a psychological concept that explains world view:  basically, good things should happen to good people, bad things should happen to bad people.  People continue to believe in a just world even when the only evidence available is to the contrary.  Case in point today:  Oliver Perez.  How is it possible that this man, who is quite easily the bane of Mets fans' collective existence at the moment, continues to come back and haunt us?

We all knew this day was coming. I just wish it hadn't come so soon.  Following the Mets' 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks last night, Oliver Perez was activated from the DL.  Infielder Justin Turner was sent back down to Triple-A to make room for Perez on the roster.  This is minor consolation for me because until yesterday I was convinced that Josh Thole (currently the Mets' best offensive catcher) would be the one banished to Buffalo.

Here's the problem, though.  Oliver Perez is not ready to be a part of a major league roster.  For one thing he is ineffective, but even more alarming is the fact that he does not seem to realize this.  And the Mets refuse to cut ties with him because 1. he's owed nearly $17 million and 2. they have this absurd belief that he will sign somewhere else for league minimum and discover himself.  Both Dan Warthen and Jerry Manuel have admitted that, while Perez was activated to join the 25-man roster, there was really no difference between Ollie now and the Ollie who went on the DL.  So what is he doing on the team?

I don't understand why the Mets WANT to take themselves out of contention.  How can they expect to be taken seriously (by fans and by baseball in general) when they insist on playing short-handed?  Perez is taking up a roster spot from this day on, just like he was before he was mercifully placed on the DL.  He has been relegated to a mop-up man hiding behind the title "lefty specialist" and he seems to be ok with this.  With the bullpen and some starters currently struggling, I wish the Mets would make a move that is actually in the interest of the team.  Perez can not be a starter, which means Hisanori Takahashi has no choice but to remain a starter, hurting both the rotation and the bullpen in the process.  He can't be a bullpen guy either, as evidenced by the way Jerry used him prior to his DL stint.  So essentially, this move accomplishes.... absolutely nothing.  Where's that just world now, Mets fans?

The Return of Carlos Voltron

Written by Benny B. | 15 July 2010

The second half of the season begins for the Mets in San Francisco tonight and it is with much anticipation and delight that Carlos "Voltron" Beltran returns and bats cleanup after missing nearly a full year of playing time.  There is sure to be a significant amount of rust for Carlos, and I don't expect him to start wacking homeruns from the get-go.  However, his mere presence is sure to change the way pitchers approach the Mets lineup, and that should surely equate to better production.

Unfortunately, we may not get to see a complete Mets lineup as there are questions relating to Jose Reyes' oblique. It would have marked the first time if over two years that the Mets fielded a fully healthy lineup.  There has been countless articles like here & here written about how unbelievably stupid it was to have Jose in the lineup the last week before the all-star break, so all I will say is that there is something obviously wrong with Mets management & the training staff when they put a star player of Reyes caliber needlessly in danger...especially when their rallying cry to begin the season is PREVENTION & RECOVERY, and it is David Wright that has to call out the manger/trainers to have Reyes removed from a game.  All we can hope is that Reyes heals quickly and that the injury the trainers said couldn't be made worse, hasn't been made worse.

The Mets will be tested right off the bat with a grueling 11 game road trip, and then match-ups versus St. Louis, Atlanta & Philly.  Thats the bad news, the good news is that the Mets schedule gets significantly better as they have been rated to have the 4th easiest in the second half.  Nevertheless, the Mets still need to win and simply take series. I don't put too much stock into schedule ratings anyway.  After all, Florida was supposed to be easy wins for the Mets in 2007 & 2008, and they knocked us out of the playoffs two years in a row.

So lets take a quick look back at what the Mets did right and what they still need to be a legitimate playoff contender:

  • They cut loose Gary Matthews Jr. & Mike Jacobs in favor of Angel Pagan & Ike Davis.  It is a travesty that GMJ got the starting nod over Pagan who is rated 5th overall in hitting.  I could bash Jerry & Omar, but they ultimately did make the correct choice (even if was a simple choice at that).  Ike Davis has been good and has hit for significantly more power than I would have ever imagined.  He is going through his rookie learning curve, but I expect him to be a solid offensive player.  His defense is already the best we have seen at that position in a long, long time.
  • Oliver Perez & John Main were removed from the rotation in favor of R.A. Dickey & Hisanori Takahashi.  It is no coincidence that after this move the Mets went on multiple long winning streaks.  The big question is, what happens when they are healthy and are required to be returned to the roster?  Maine may have some value, but at this point, I don't have any confidence in either.  They can stay in AAA purgatory as far as I am concerned. Dickey has been a revelation.  He is the only Knuckleballer I have ever seen that can vary speeds on his knuckler from low 70's to low 80's and sport a mid-80's fastball.  He had a couple of bad games, but for the most part has been outstanding.  Takahashi on the other hand, enjoyed early success but after a couple time through the order, he becomes very hittable.  Regardless, both have been HUGE upgrades.
  • Manuel has indicated that Pagan will get the lion's share of playing time in RF over Francoeur when Beltran is in the lineup.  Again, an easy decision that was portrayed as difficult in the media.  Frenchy has been super hot and super cold this year, but that is the type of player he is.  But Pagan has been consistently great all year. All four outfielders are going to see playing time regardless as Beltran will not be ready for every-day play for a month or so.  That will be plenty of time to determine who will fill what roles.  I am firm believer that competition is a good thing and will bring out the best in them all.

Here's what the Mets still Need:

  • A solid starting pitcher.  Period.  With Lee off the board, the drop-off is steep.  However, there are still pitchers out there that can really help this team.  The Cubs Lilly is the name that has been thrown around the most. He's a solid #3, has experience in NY, and would come considerably cheaper than Lee  (as a side note, Omar should be applauded for not getting dragged into the Lee sweepstakes.  Lee's a great player, but Ike Davis plus 3 other prospects for a player who has already said he would test free agency I felt was severely overpriced). With the acquisition of a Lilly-type, that would allow Takahashi to be moved back, and solidify the bullpen.  He can pitch anywhere from 1-4 innings and remain effective.
  • Carlos Beltran to play like Carlos Beltran.  He needs to remain healthy.  Even if he is not the Carlos that hit 346 homeruns in a 7 game series.  A healthy Beltran at 75-80% is just as good if not better than any other outfielder at 100%.  The team needs you, we need you, and my Carlos Voltron icon needs you Beltran.  Don't let me down!
  • Another Bullpen arm.  Not a necessity especially if Takahashi is moved back, but it would afford the Mets some breathing room should any injury crop up.  If they do acquire another arm for the pen and if Igarashi can work on some secondary pitches, that coupled with the re-emergence of Bobby Parnell (who is throwing upper 90's nastiness) would form one of the best bullpens in the league.
  • Solid 2nd Basemen.  Again, not necessary and probably a pipe dream.  Castillo's horrible contract is still hamstringing the Mets. However, there is a huge list of available 2nd Basemen out there. If the Mets could figure out a way to get cheap rental 2nd basemen, it would really go a long way to solidify the offense and defense.  The young Tejada has been great defensively, but he is being exposed at the plate.  Even though it's a long-shot, 2nd base should be an area Omar takes a hard look at.
There you have it!  Let the games begin!  These next few weeks should reveal who the Mets & the limping Phillies really are.  As usual, Phillies suck & Lets go Mets!

The Mid Market Mets

Written by Mike Mariano | 09 July 2010

I thought when things were going well the Mets writers were going to step it up around here!  Silly me for assuming such tomfoolery.  So I'll give some Mets snacking for your feasting this afternoon:

NYPost: They've gotten it wrong, but they've gone for it. There is a sense, a real sense, that the Mets are now operating as a mid-market club, unwilling or unable to dive in to attract the best that money can buy, even if they most assuredly did lavish a $137.5 million guaranteed contract on Johan Santana a couple of winters ago.

Maybe that perception is unfair to ownership, but it's as real as last night's empty seats and as real as the frustration of the fan base that already is resigned to losing Cliff Lee to a higher lend-lease bidder this summer and prepared to lose the left-hand ace to the Yankees this winter.

There's no buzz around the Mets, who appeared particularly lethargic in last night's loss that sealed the club's first losing series in their last seven at home since May 10-12, when the Mets lost two of three to the pre-Stephen Strasburg Nationals.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah... playing in New York must be so hard.  There's only 8 million people there and the Mets can't find anybody to root for them.  And nobody cares and the team is a bunch of lollygaggers and waaaah waaah waaah....

Things are finally looking remotely positive in Metsville and all this is what comes of it?  I understand that everyone pretends to be "middle class" and gravitates towards the middle, but don't sit on a payroll that size and give the "woe is me" sentiment.  Let me fill that writer in on a little secret (as I'm sure most of the Mets faithful would like to do the same):  Players don't want to come to the Mets and fans don't want to watch because of how bad the team most recently was and not only that, because of the thick mismanagement smog that suffocates the team at every turn.  Why the hell would you go to New York where no one knows who's running the show when you could go elsewhere to a better team, with better management and the same money?

Well, that's my Mets rant of the day.  Per the usual, Mets suck -- enjoy your days Mutsfans.

 

Sorry Charlie

Written by Benny B. | 21 June 2010

Fat Charlie"Somebody ought to check on the Mets if they did [complain], because their f*cking home record is out of this world and they're losing on the road," Manuel told MLB.com today. "That's a good indication sometimes, if you want to know about signs and [stuff].

"When I see somebody is 17-2 at home and 4-12 on the road I kind of get concerned about that. That kind of crosses my mind."

Thats Charlie Manuel after getting bitch-slapped by MLB for using binoculars to spy on opposing teams catchers desperately trying to rationalize that it must be the Mets that are cheating due to the discrepancy of the Mets home/away record.

Everybody and their mother knew then that Charlie's weak display was infantile at best, and trying to redirect the scent of his cheating-ass team at worst--it carried no weight regardless.  But after the Mets 7-2 road trip which featured two consecutive sweeps of the Orioles and Indians brought their road record to a respectable 15-20, it only makes Manuel look all the more stupid.

I've heard and seen all the Phillies Phans rationalizations.  No need to recount them.  However, one final observation for you Phans to think about before you cry yourselves to sleep each night:  Don't you find it interesting that the putrid brand of sub-.500 baseball the Phillies have been displaying is directly correlated with the the warning MLB issued for Binocular-gate? In other words, once you guys got caught, the losses started piling up.  Here's to hoping it continues.  Got any other theories Charlie?

Figgy Getaboutit!

Written by Benny B. | 02 June 2010

Figgy BrickNelson Figueroa was a great story for the Mets.  He was a home town boy, routed for the Mets and was finally given a shot in to pitch for the team that he loved after 4 years of minor league purgatory when an injury bug that would span two seasons decimated Mets core players.

In 2009 when 4/5ths of the rotation was either injured or underperforming, Figgy started out strong but posted a poor record of 3-8.  However wins and loses don't tell the entire story for a team that lost almost 100 games.  He pitched about how you would expect a journey man, replacement player would pitch: Mediocre.  Anyway, the Mets didn't have any better options.

Fast forward to Spring Training 2010.  Figgy was lights out and everybody including yours truly thought he would make the 25 man roster as a reliever.  Alas, that was not the case and poor Figgy refused an assignment to the minors and was picked up by the defending NL Champs and arch rival Phillies.

Coming into the Mets series last week, Nelson did not hold back his disdain for the Mets organization:

"While it's one person's decision and it's a business, they're shocked when you take it personally. It's hard to not...In two years I gave them blood, sweat, tears, my heart and my soul - and it wasn't enough to make the team this year.....I shouldn't have had to prove that I belonged on this team."

I got news for you Nelson:  EVERY player must prove that they belong....Even Johan Santana & Doc Halliday. There are no free passes in baseball.  It's about performance and results.  Perhaps it was this display of arrogance that lost you that final roster spot.  When asked about the Mets problems, again Figgy didn't hold back:

"Everyone worries about, 'Well, what did Jimmy Rollins say?' " said Figueroa, who believes the same drama never follows the Yankees because "when you're winning, people love a winner. When you're the second-best team in your city, there's always drama with that. There's always got to be a story, whether it's a story from within looking for attention somehow....Somehow (the Phillies) got this group, somewhere along the line, to believe that they could do it and they will do it. They didn't have to force it. Day in and day out, no matter who is on the mound, we believe we're going to win."

How the hell does Figgy now knows what it's like to be a "winner" like the Yankees?  And no Drama?  Ummmm, have you ever heard of Alex "lightning rod"-riguez?  There is always drama with that guy.  And what about Texiera?  He was booed mercilessly last year and was already dubbed a bust after his slow start.  Nothing irks me more when a human being draws from experiences he never possessed.  But he saved the best for last:

"When I became the odd man out, I asked why and they said, 'It's just the move we need to make' and thought that would be enough for me to explain it to my family," he said. "That's not enough when you've given your life and been taken away from your family to do this."

Boo hoo!  Poor Nelson; getting paid handsomely to play a game for a living. Cry Plus you weren't "taken away" from your family.  This is the life you chose to live you cry baby.

"To have the rug pulled out from under you, you have to find a way to refocus, and there's no better way than first place," Figueroa said. "This clubhouse is different....They don't panic early in April when we have a two-game losing streak and wonder if the manager is getting fired, or if the GM is getting fired. It's a good feeling to know there will be a tomorrow."

Yes, it is also a good feeling when Karma comes a calling.  Not only does Nelson get hammered by giving up 3 runs in relief to the Mets after making these comments, a few days later he is DFA'd to make room for Lidge, and the Phillies are no longer in first place.  So much for that good feeling of knowing where he will be tomorrow...

It's only natural to want to stick it to the team that thought you weren't good enough.  But there is a way to do it without burning bridges.  Simply do it on the field.  Here's a newsflash for ya:  You aren't good enough Nelson to be more than a AAAA replacement.  In hindsight, the Mets made the right move passing you over for the likes of Igarishi & Takahashi.  The Mets bullpen has been solid, albeit overused with cracks starting to show.  But that is baseball, injuries are a part of the game. Had Nelson stayed in the Mets system instead of taking on an "I don't have to prove myself" attitude, he probably would have already been called up to long relieve & spot start and might be still be with the team now.

Furthermore, I have a hunch had Nelson not made these statements, he could have been offered to return to the Mets after being put on waivers; especially armed with insider information on Phillies scouting. But, this is no longer a possibility; We all know that the Mets are a team that holds grudges (see Adam Rubin vs. Omar Miniya), and regardless of how much it would make sense, Figgy has made it impossible for him to be brought back.  Try explaining that to your family, Nelson.  But hey, there is always the "good feeling" of knowing you can visit your father's brick at Citifield....

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