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May 19, 2010 Link Dump John Fitzgerald

Wednesday Morning Link Dump

As the Mets get ready to take on Livan Hernandez and the Washington Nationals, here is today’s link dump.

Note: Be sure to drop by tonight’s Gameday Open Thread. It will be posted at 5pm EDT and will run throughout the game.

OnTheBlack – David Wright is struggling. How badly? Kerel Cooper is breaking out the graphs to show you.

BrooklynMetFan – BMF thinks it might be time for a new hitting coach.

The Hardball Times – Brian Borawski points out that the Mets lead the major leagues in declining attendance so far this season.

Amazin’ Avenue – Are the Mets afraid to eat the contract of Gary Matthews Jr? Amazin’ Avenue examines that question and looks at the plethora of baseball analysts that couldn’t believe the Mets traded for GMJ in the first place.

MetsMerized – MM has a detailed update on the Mets minor league system.

Enjoy this video of Wally Backman chilling out with the umpires before a game in 2007:

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John Fitzgerald is an independent film/TV producer. In 2007, he followed former Mets 2B Wally Backman and his minor league team for the TV show, "Playing for Peanuts." Click here for DVD ordering information NOTE: $5 from each sale goes to maintenance costs of MetsToday.com
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  1. MikeTomaselli May 19, 2010 at 3:05 pm
    Not to be Mr Contrarian, but David Wright has no support and is on pace for a 30/30 season with 100 RBI. I'm sick of people worrying about Wright when the rest of the team is the problem. I'll keep hammering this home on this site's comments section, but in the end Wright will have his numbers and it will be jokers like Tatis, GMJ, Cora, Acosta, and Franceour that will cost this team wins. Places changes could be made. I've given up the idea of Castillo being replaced, but he's been bad and so has Bay. But I think these guys have career numbers that are still obtainable and I don't see why that won't happen. Get off DWright's nutz and worry about places where change can actually be made.
  2. Kerel Cooper May 19, 2010 at 3:23 pm
    Mike – I agree that this team has bigger issues than Wright (or Reyes as well) but you have to be somewhat alarmed at the strike outs, no? That was really the point I was trying to make in my blog post.
  3. planethardball May 19, 2010 at 3:33 pm
    I'm with Kerel on this one. This ain't fantasy baseball. If Wright is physically fine and he is putting up the numbers, then the problem is between his ears. Something is wrong and you can tell by watching one of his at-bats.
  4. isuzudude May 19, 2010 at 5:02 pm
    David Wright is also on pace for 220+ strikeouts, and there's definitely something wrong with that. Not to mention he also "cost the team a win" last night by throwing away Melky's grounder and allowing the winning run to score in the 9th. I'm all for defending Wright, and I think anyone who wants him traded for anything above day-old lunch meat is jumping the gun and over reacting. But let's give criticism where criticism is due: Wright has had his problems this year and his woes at the plate and in the field are certainly to the detriment of this ballclub. Meantime, it's hard to blame guys like Tatis and Acosta and Cora for the team's struggles because, quite honestly, they haven't played enough to have any sort of contributive participation, and when they have played they've pretty much done what has been expected. There's no defense for GMJ, but his playing time has also dwindled down to next to nothing, and Francoeur is in a slump but could very well get his numbers back to being respectable in a month's time and is far from being labeled as a "joker" despite his recent cold streak. I'm also sure anything less than Castillo hitting .400 while playing gold glove defense would be inadequate in the eyes of his detractors, and while Bay isn't hitting for power, every other aspect of his game is on par with his career norms (he leads the team in hits, runs scored, and triples, btw). Reyes and Wright have been the biggest culprits for why the Mets are struggling to score, and anyone dancing around that truth to protect the home-grown "core" needs to put down the kool-aid and awaken to reality.
  5. Kevin May 19, 2010 at 5:25 pm
    wright/reyes should be part of a good lineup – like in 2006. some players can thrive on being the only big bat in a lineup (gonzalez in SD for example), but not wright/reyes. ya gotta bring in some other guys to lighten the load because these two can't hack it without help. that is obvious by now, isn't it?
  6. @planethardball May 19, 2010 at 5:52 pm
    So Wright/Reyes are kind of like Cheerios? "Part of a complete breakfast," but you still need some OJ, toast, and a big lefty bat to tie it all together?
  7. Tom May 19, 2010 at 8:45 pm
    I thought that was why Jason Bay is here? And Ike Davis who is off to a big start? And oddly enough our best hitter Rod Barajas.

    Not sure what the issue is, but they need to work it out themselves (or via a new manager). The only thing the Mets need to bring in is starting pitching.