Hat tip to FireJerryManuel.

According to Badler, Mejia’s fastball ranged from 90-95 MPH and touched 96.

His fastball is a swing-and-miss offering, not just because of its velocity but because of its outstanding movement. Mejia generates tremendous cutting action on his fastball, and he’ll also put some sink on his heater as well. Between the velocity and movement, Mejia has a pitch he can use as an out pitch or to induce grounders—71 percent of his outs on balls in play were groundouts during the minor league season.

It’s not all roses for Mejia in the Fall League, however. Badler also notes that the top Mets prospect has had major issues with control, walking 11 in 11 1/3 IP. Scouts the league agree that Mejia needs to find more consistent command of his fastball, and develop his offspeed pitches.

Mejia’s current coach in Arizona, Tom Phelps, had this to say about his repertoire:

“He has a fastball that will cut, and he also has a fastball that will sink. As long as he keeps it down in the zone, he gets a lot of ground balls and a lot of early outs and quick innings. The big thing for him is controlling it in the zone and not getting behind hitters and walking hitters.”

“When he just throws it and doesn’t try to overthrow it, he’s got a good curveball,” Phelps said. “It looks like his heater, he’s got good deception and it’s got some quick break to it. Also his better secondary pitch is his changeup. His changeup has a lot of depth, has real good arm speed and looks like his fastball. He’s got the pitches to complement (his fastball), it’s just a matter of him being able to control it in the zone and keeping it down in the zone.”

It sounds like Mejia is a legit prospect, but is also at least a year or two away. In fact all the comments about his command and offspeed stuff remind me of Mike Pelfrey when he was 22 and rushed into MLB. Mejia just turned 20, and I see no reason to push him up the ladder. Let the kid develop — and let HIM force the issue, much like Doc Gooden did back in 1984.

But that success never happened — and Hansen remains an enigma. A key part of the deal that sent Jason Bay to Boston and Manny Ramirez to LA at the 2008 trade deadline, the Pirates have dropped Craig Hansen from their 40-man roster.

Hansen can still bring it in the mid-90s and his slider is sharp, but he’s been wildly inconsistent with command. At one point the Red Sox adjusted what they believed were unsafe mechanics (hmm… can you say “Aaron Heilman”?) in an effort to improve his accuracy and prevent future injuries. As a result his velocity dropped to the low 90s temporarily, his slider became more inconsistent, and he had issues with confidence. After joining the Pirates his velocity returned but the slider remained inconsistent and missed most of 2009 with nerve issues in his neck and back. It took until August to diagnose his problems as Parsonage-Turner Syndrome — a condition where a nerve deteriorates and shuts down muscles in the upper back, shoulder and upper arm. A full recovery is expected, but it can take anywhere from 7 months to 5 years.

Why bring this up? Because Hansen is a quality arm, has local ties, and by being dropped from the 40-man, is available through the Rule 5 draft. Does that mean the Mets should roll the dice and pluck him from the Pirates this winter? It would be a bold move, with high risk. Even if everything goes perfectly with his rehab, Hansen is unlikely to return to the mound before next June, and wasn’t exactly MLB-ready before the nerve issues initially arose during spring training last year (though, they might have had something to do with his ineffectiveness). He’d be a major project no matter which way you slice it, and the Mets would have to be patient, looking at him as a potential candidate for the 2011 or 2012 team.

As a Rule 5 pick, he would have to remain on the 25-man roster for the entire 2010 season. But, he could be on the DL for most (or all) of it. The rules state that a player has to be active on the 25-man roster for 90 days in his first two seasons with his new club. Hansen turns 26 years old in a couple weeks, so there’s still time for him to make a comeback.

Should the Mets go through all this complication just to get a big arm in their organization — and one that has yet to prove himself at the MLB level? Probably not, but I wanted to provide all the details, as some fans might be intrigued by the former Red Storm fireballer. Regardless of what the Mets decide, I hope the kid can make a full recovery — it’s always sad to see someone on the cusp of greatness have everything taken away from them.

You may have been reading or hearing the buzz surrounding Aroldis Chapman, a Cuban defector who is currently meeting with several MLB teams in regard to his services. Here is what we know about him:

- He will be 22 when spring training begins, born as Albertin Aroldis Chapman in Cuba on February 28, 1988

- He is lefthanded, stands 6′4″ and weighs around 180 pounds

- He pitched for the Cuban National Team in the WBC, and was on the Olympic roster before being removed after his first failed attempt to defect

- He holds a 24-21 record with two strikeout titles while pitching in Serie Nacional, Cuba’s professional league

- He currently holds residence in Angorra, leaving behind in Cuba his parents, two sisters, a girlfriend, and a newborn child

- Several sources report that he’s thrown as fast as 102 MPH

- His agent is the relatively unknown Edwin Mejia

There is an excellent profile and accompanying video on Chapman on ESPN.

Reportedly, the Mets are meeting or have already met with Chapman, who arrived in New York to begin a tour of his suitors this week.

Those suitors supposedly include the Yankees, Red Sox, A’s, Giants, Dodgers, Orioles, Angels, Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, and of course the Mets. Likely that list is longer — who wouldn’t be interested in a 6′4″, 21-year-old lefthander who throws 100+ MPH?

And therein lies the big question — will the Mets be in the bidding for this young man’s services?

Some scouts see him as among the top 3 young pitching prospects in the world, and project him to be a sure-fire, frontline MLB starter. Other scouts say he’s “80% ready” for MLB right now. Still others peg him as a future middle reliever.

But it doesn’t much matter what the scouting reports say, because, again: he’s 6′4″, lefthanded, 21 years old, and throws 100 MPH. The bidding for that kind of raw talent on the open market BEGINS somewhere between Stephen Strasburg’s 4-year / $15.1M deal and the $32M signing bonus given to 31-year-old Cuban defector Jose Contreras in 2002. Do the Mets have the funds and the chutzpah to make a serious bid? Or are they gun-shy after witnessing the Kei Igawa debacle, and experiencing a similar disaster with Kaz Matsui?

On the one hand, the Mets claim to have deeper pockets than everyone says, and adding a top prospect such as Chapman would be a bold move toward putting their money where their mouth is — while also immediately elevating the negative opinion of their farm system. On the other hand, the bidding could go as high as $25M or more — at which point you have to ask yourself, is any one prospect worth that much money? Or are you better off spending that kind of cash in several directions toward both unproven talent and MLB veterans? It’s hard to say without knowing what their budget plan looks like (assuming they HAVE a plan in place).

Personally, I haven’t seen enough of Chapman to make any kind of prediction about his future. From the videos I’ve seen of him (one is below), he reminds me a bit of Dontrelle Willis — mostly from his tall, lean, lanky frame and his somewhat awkward leg kick and long stride. A lot of his velocity appears to come from his extreme hip rotation, stride, and whiplike arm motion, but that same rotation could put a strain on his shoulder over the long term. At the same time, it looks like he can learn to use his height more to his advantage, both for velocity and in terms of getting downward movement on his breaking pitches — from the clips I’ve seen he is usually too much side-to-side and not enough up-and-down (gravity is a pitcher’s friend … why fight it?). No doubt, he has enormous raw talent that, with polish, could develop him into a dominating pitcher.

It’s OK if you don’t remember the name of Murphy’s sidekick, as it’s a simple, common, unassuming name — one that sounds like it came out of a Hardy Boys mystery or a Hemingway novel. If you forget his name, don’t fret — it appears his own manager forgot it as well, since he hasn’t written it onto a lineup card for the last three weeks.

It turns out that the young man was forgotten, but not gone. Despite rumors to the contrary, Nick Evans has been with the Mets this entire time. But he hasn’t been seen in ballgames because in addition to his manager forgetting his name, Nick has been wearing a mask:

CATCHING ON: Nick Evans has started only three games since an Aug. 25 promotion, but his idle time hasn’t been a complete waste. Evans has been working with coach Sandy Alomar Jr. on learning to catch as a way of increasing his versatility, although he wouldn’t appear behind the plate in anything but an emergency situation.

Hard to blame Jerry Manuel for not using Evans when Nick’s been hiding in the bullpen all this time.

In all seriousness, this move really makes you wonder about a number of things. The obvious, of course, is why has Evans been rotting on the bench all September. But I have two other specific questions:

- Why did the Mets wait until the last two weeks of the 2009 season to consider making Evans a catcher? Two years ago might have been better timing — when it was clear that his bat was his only tool but it wasn’t clear it would be enough to make him an everyday MLBer.

- Why did Daniel Murphy get every chance in the world to succeed or fail at first base, while Evans toiled in AAA and then on the bench? If Evans and not Murphy had been the one in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime hot streak last summer, would the roles be reversed today? Would Evans be starting at first base and Murphy hanging out in the bullpen trying to become more versatile?

As mentioned in many other posts, I like Daniel Murphy. And I like Nick Evans. But I don’t get the logic behind giving one a fair shake while forgetting the other, especially once the Mets were out of the race. It’s not an issue of one or the other — Nick Evans could have been placed in left field to sink or swim at any time going back to early July. Instead we watched Cory Sullivan, Fernando Tatis, Angel Pagan, Jeremy Reed, and Gary Sheffield toil in the outfield — all players that I like, but all who “are what they are”, and not one of them with a chance to be a starting leftfielder for the Mets in 2010. With Evans there is still mystery, and hope, that he might be better than a bench player. His raw skillset, attitude, and aptitude are on par with Murphy’s, so why didn’t he get a similar audition at the end of a lost season?

It’s too late to cry over spilt milk, but I’m happy to see he’s donning the tools of ignorance. I’d be even happier to see both he and Daniel Murphy behind the plate — they’re both tough enough, and over the long run it’ll help both their careers and the Mets to learn the position. It won’t happen with Murphy, but maybe Evans can make the conversion. Hopefully he’ll find a team this winter that will remember his name long enough to write it onto the lineup card.

Sure, I could be completely wrong — Thole could suffer seven passed balls and six stolen bases, while striking out five times. But I believe the Mets have given him a strong opportunity to succeed by choosing this game, this opponent, and this starting pitcher.

For one, it’s a day game, played outdoors and under natural light. Right there, Thole should be comfortable, as it is always much easier to see the flight of a ball in broad daylight than it is at night under artificial lighting. This is an advantage both in terms of batting and in receiving pitches behind the plate.

Secondly, the Mets have matched Thole with one of their easiest pitchers to catch. Pat Misch relies on pinpoint control, using a small repertoire of pitches that generally range from 70-85 MPH. If anything, he throws too many strikes and is always around the plate. He’s thrown only one wild pitch in his MLB career, and less than a dozen in close to 800 minor league innings. In short, he is a catcher’s dream in terms of receiving the ball. Additionally, Misch is a poised, unflappable, easygoing veteran — no worries about having to calm him down in times of adversity.

Contrast Misch with, say, Oliver Perez, and it’s easy to understand my point.

Loyal MetsToday reader “Murph” (of MurphGuide) posed the question:

“Do you think it is harder for a rookie to hit major league pitching, or to catch major league pitching?”

Neither is easy, but from my own experience, catching a pitcher whom you’ve never caught before can be much harder than hitting one you’ve never faced before — and it all depends on the pitcher’s command, velocity, and repertoire. Someone like Ollie Perez, John Maine, or Bobby Parnell — who throw at high velocity and tend to be all over the place — are extremely difficult to receive because the catcher may have no idea where the ball is going, nor what route it’s going to take, and he has little time to react. Remember the struggles of Brian Schneider early last season? Those were due specifically to the unfamiliarity with the pitching staff, and secondarily to a new glove.

As we’ve been told, Josh Thole has been catching many of the Mets pitchers in the bullpen since his promotion. And that’s good, but not necessarily enough — it depends on the pitcher. Some are around the plate and have pitches that run and break consistently, and you can get a “feel” for the distance they’ll move when they’re not on target. Also, it’s easier when the top velocity is lower, and there are less pitches to “learn” — for example Pedro Feliciano throws only an 87-MPH fastball and a sweeping slider, so he might be easier to catch than, say, Brian Stokes, who can hit 97 MPH with the fastball, and also has varying degrees of success with a curve, slider, changeup, and split. Francisco Rodriguez, I imagine, would also be difficult to catch, mainly because his pitches break so sharply and so late — and often into the ground and wide of the strike zone.

The pitcher’s personality is another can of worms which we won’t get into in depth. But consider this: what if Thole’s MLB debut came last night, and he had to deal with Mike Pelfrey’s case of the yips? Or if he had to get Oliver Perez back on track during one of those “Ollie Innings” ?

Another consideration is calling the game. I would bet that the pitches will be called from the dugout today. After all, Thole doesn’t know much about the strengths and weaknesses of MLB hitters, and isn’t yet familiar with Pat Misch’s game-time abilities.

We’ll see soon enough how well Josh Thole handles himself behind the dish. We’re told his best tool is his bat, and that he needs work on his catching skills. That said, the Mets have made his MLB debut as easy as could possibly be managed. For once, a logical decision based on thought and preparation.

For those of you interested in seeing Beltran play, you can watch it live on Twitter. Just follow @hvrenegades and there will be a link when the broadcast starts. You will be able to see the game starting at 7pm.

While you’re at it, follow @metstoday and @smallballusa too. Thanks.

And it doesn’t hurt to arrive in the midst of a hitting streak.

Think back to this time last summer, when Danny was giving it his all to learn left field “on the job”. He had his troubles, for sure — who wouldn’t? — but his tenacity was up to the task. He came to the park early to learn the nuances of fly ball catching, hitting cutoff men, and reacting to balls bouncing off the wall. We all watched young Danny transform himself from a minor league third baseman into a Major League outfielder over the course of 7 weeks. Some of his improvements were subtle, but they were expertly observed by the keen eyes of former MLBers Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling — who luckily were in the SNY booth and could pass on the information to we neophytes sitting at home. These observations were of course supported by quotes from Mets manager Jerry Manuel, members of his coaching staff, and the players themselves — and eventually picked up by respected journalists, who in turn passed on to their readers the optimism of Danny Murphy’s improving defense.

Thus the myth began, and spread like wildfire: Daniel Murphy was developing into a strong defender in the outfield — so much so, that the Mets brass was penciling him into the 2009 lineup as the starting left fielder. And why not? They had to find somewhere to put that potent bat.

Ah, but there’s the other myth that had its genesis this time last year: that Dan Murphy was a future batting champion. He reportedly had a “quick bat”, a “mature approach”, “great patience and discipline”, and “hit the ball to all fields”. We knew all this because that’s what the journalists were writing, and what Keith Hernandez told us every time “Murph” came to the plate. And who would argue with Keith? He actually won a batting title, so he’d know better than anyone.

Unfortunately, what we saw last year from Dan Murphy was a mirage. He’s a decent hitter, and he does try very hard, but the fact is, his skillset isn’t particularly overwhelming in comparison to dozens of other hitters currently in the minor leagues.

It turns out his bat speed is average at best, and eventually the league figured out that he was easily overpowered by hard fastballs inside. To his credit, Murph made the adjustment, and started looking “in” — but simultaneously became susceptible on the outside of the plate, because he was starting his swing sooner.

To be fair, there are very few batters who can cover both sides of the plate — even the elite have a vulnerability somewhere in the strike zone. The difference is, the elite compensate in one way or another, and/or can still handle their vulnerable area better than most. Murphy, however, is not elite — he’s ordinary. Not ordinary like you and me, but ordinary in terms of the best hitters on the planet. He has two forms of attack: 1) guess; and 2) force the pitcher to throw enough pitches until he makes a mistake. This is how Dan Murphy survives, and you have to give him credit for finding a way.

His tenacity and will to survive at this level are inspiring, commendable traits and make him a guy you can’t help but root for. However, he most likely doesn’t have enough skills to warrant a job as a starting first baseman in MLB — particularly not in the 21st century.

Off the top of my head, the only singles hitters who were able to forge a sustained, successful career as a starting first baseman in the last 30 years were Rod Carew, Pete Rose, and Mike Hargrove (yes, Dave Magadan was a singles-hitting first baseman, but he never once attained 500 at-bats in a season). Maybe you can throw Mark Grace and Bill Buckner in there too, though both were good for around 15 HR a year. But most of those names share a common thread — all but Hargrove were perennial threats to win the batting crown, and a near-lock to hit at least .300. Hargrove was a shade lower — around .290 most years — but made up for it with a sky-high OBP (which, ironically, was not valued in his heyday the way it is today). Further, all but Grace played when there were only 26 teams in MLB, the pitching was less diluted, and home runs were more rare. These days, an average first baseman on a contending team provides at least 18-20 HRs AND a second asset. Sid Bream would not have a starting job in the 21st century.

It’s questionable whether Murphy will ever hit more than 10-15 HRs in a season, and though he might have a shot at .300 in his best year, it’s highly doubtful he’ll threaten for a batting crown. His power will have to improve considerably to be a legitimate homerun threat, and that also is unlikely considering his age and the ban on PEDs. Though his baserunning instincts are average, his foot speed is below average and won’t get better. His fielding is below average now, and can improve — but will it be enough to offset a projected ceiling of a .275 batting average, .330 OBP, and 10 HRs ? Those are numbers more fitting of a slick-fielding second baseman, or a catcher.

So far, Murphy has proven to be an excellent pinch-hitter, and has shown an above-average ability to drive runners home. He reminds me a lot of Matt Franco in that respect, and I believe he has a place on a championship team in that capacity. People such as Franco, Danny Heep, Gates Brown, Manny Mota, and Lenny Harris made a career out of pinch-hitting, so this isn’t a knock on Murphy in any way. Rather, it is a realistic analysis of where his future lies.

That said, it’s time to start seeing Dan Murphy for what he is, rather than placing unreasonable expectations upon him. It’s clear the Mets are going to give him every chance to re-discover the magic that allowed him to hit .333 last August — and this is what worries me. Murph might go on a hot streak between now and October, and that would be enough for the Mets to pencil him in as the starting first baseman — in other words, a repeat of what they did last year, but with LF. It’s the same backward thinking that assumed Fernando Tatis would hit .297 again, when in reality, that average was artificially boosted by an abnormally hot month of July.

Indeed, Murphy might find a way to improve upon his current .250 AVG / .310 OBP to more respectable levels, and occasionally pull off a flashy play in the field. But in the end, he’s not Rod Carew, Pete Rose, or even Mark Grace. He’s Daniel Murphy: hard-nosed, tenacious, likeable player who belongs in MLB — though not as the starting first baseman on a championship team.

So it just registered with me that Bobby Parnell “will be limited to 60-70 pitches during his outing” — at least, that’s what’s being reported on MetsBlog (and I’m sure it is correct information).

Great. Except, one thing: Bobby Parnell has NOT THROWN MORE THAN 33 PITCHES in any one outing all season.

Is anyone else seeing the problem I’m seeing? Am I nuts, or is it a little crazy to suddenly double his highest pitch count of the season? To come up with a “limit” that is FIVE TIMES HIS AVERAGE PITCH COUNT per outing this year?

Yes, folks, five times. Parnell has tossed a total of 817 pitches in 54 games. We know my math stinks so I used a calculator — but you can double-check in case my fat fingers affected the result.

As for “stretching him out”, go to the stats and check the game logs. Parnell threw 30 pitches on August 5th; 33 on August 3rd; 21 on August 1st; and 34 on July 30th (he pitched in both ends of a doubleheader). So, roughly 30 pitches every other day, then all of a sudden — WHAM! — his limit is 70.

May I add that Parnell seemed slightly surprised that he was getting a start when originally speaking to reporters the other day — so I’m guessing he wasn’t augmenting his in-game counts with extra side sessions. Though, he could be a really good actor.

Again, I must bring up the painstaking care and attention the Yankees paid to their young fireballer Joba Chamberlain, during his transition to the starting rotation. Either the Yankees were being unbelievably cautious, or the Mets are being incredibly irresponsible. No one can say for sure, but one look at the way the Mets have handled the physical condition of their players over the last few seasons is enough to make me skeptical.

But finally, the Mets have acquired the big-bodied, power-hitting left fielder they’ve needed since admitting Moises Alou to a nursing home: Jason Dubois.

What do you mean, “who the heck is Jason Dubois?” Doesn’t anyone read Baseball America?

For the uninformed and the ignorant, Jason Dubois is a 6′5″, 225-pound outfielder who once slugged 31 homeruns in a minor league season (2004). He’s been hidden in the Chicago Cubs’ system for 8 of his 9 years in the minors, unable to leapfrog over the Calvin Murrays and Matt Murtons of the world. This year he’s hitting .302 with 11 HRs and 50 RBI in only 275 at-bats — but again, his path blocked to the majors by a stunning array of outfielders in the Cubs’ system. Luckily for the Mets, the Cubs were willing to part with the strapping righthanded hitter, who at 30 years old is in the prime of his athletic life.

Immediately, Dubois arrives as the man with the best raw power in the organization among those who do not require a walker to enter the batter’s box. Following in the footsteps of the departed Wily Mo Pena and Valentino Pascucci, Dubois has prodigious power and a prodigious penchant for striking out — 77 times so far this season. But hey, he’s played in Buffalo before (in 2006) and should be warmly welcomed by the Bisons’ fan base.

And who knows, he might be auditioned in Flushing for a 2010 job in the outfield.

Can the Mets' Angel Pagan continue his current pace? Photo from www.legendofcecilioguante.com

Now, the million-dollar question: can he keep it up?

Already, some fans and pundits are wondering out loud if the Mets may be best served by moving Carlos Beltran this winter to make room for Pagan to take over centerfield. (I advocated trading Beltran last winter, but not to make room for an incumbent.)

Before our enthusiasm overtakes logic, let’s look at what Angel Pagan has been his entire career: a solid fourth outfielder with a broad skillset and a hustling approach to the game. In 550 career MLB at-bats, he has a .271 AVG., .323 OBP, 11 HR, and 70 RBI. Not bad for centerfielder. Not great, but not bad.

There are those who will argue that those numbers were compiled from the bench, and that when Pagan is given a full-time job, he’ll produce even better numbers. Indeed, one can point directly to the last month as evidence to support that claim.

Unfortunately, you can’t measure a player on a 24-game sample (I’m removing the 14 games he played before going on the DL). In fact, you can’t predict performance based on a sample double that size. Fans and the Mets themselves fell into this trap with Danny Murphy, who looked like Wade Boggs through his first 49 big league games and 151 at-bats. The problem is that baseball is often a game of highs and lows, of hot streaks and cold streaks, and it takes a very special ballplayer to sustain production over the course of a 162-game season.

Even in the minor leagues, Angel Pagan was never projected to be an MLB regular. An impressive athletic specimen, he always appeared “toolsy” but for whatever reason didn’t have enough of any one skill to suggest he’d be an everyday player. The more we see him play, the more that incompleteness is exposed.

For example, his best raw skill right now is probably his running ability — he’s used it to attain 7 triples, to steal 8 bases, and to outrun fly balls. However, we’ve already seen that his speed doesn’t make up for his lack of instincts on the basepaths. He ran wild for a few weeks, his over-aggressiveness embarrassed him, and now he’s tentative. Before you say it’s a matter of experience, remember he spent ten years and 640 games in the minor leagues. The bases down there are 90 feet apart, just as they are in MLB. If he hasn’t understood how to run the bases yet, when will he?

Similarly, though he has the capability and determination to make highlight-reel plays in the field, the fact is, he’s not an outstanding fielder. His arm is average, and both his fly ball judgment and routes to the ball are OK to good rather than good to great. At times he goes aggressively for balls to the point where he gets in the way of others (again, instincts). His speed often erases mistakes. I think back to Shawn Green, who in his younger days appeared to be an excellent fielder, but who looked awful once his feet slowed.

Finally, there is his bat. When he’s hot, he’s a doubles and triples machine — as we’re seeing right now. But eventually he’ll cool and his over-aggressiveness (another running theme) will get the best of him. His OBP is tied directly to his ability to hit safely, and he hasn’t shown the ability to be disciplined enough to draw walks consistently at the MLB level. Though he’s doing well in the leadoff spot right now, I doubt that’s the best place for his offensive skills over the long haul. Where he does fit, I’m not sure.

If Pagan were an outstanding fielder, then his streaky bat would be acceptable. But he’s not Mike Cameron out there. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have enough bat to play a corner outfield position, either. So what you have is a somewhat stronger, switch-hitting version of Endy Chavez. For a few teams, that’s good enough to start. On a team deigned for the postseason, that’s a fine fourth outfielder.

Before we conclude, I want to express that I enjoy watching Angel Pagan play the game. His approach is a breath of fresh air and an example to be followed. He absolutely has a place on a championship ballclub — but it is most likely as a key contributor off the bench, rather than as an everyday player.

Many people are unhappy with this development. However, I’m not one of those people. In fact, I am excited to see Luis Castillo back at second base and in the #2 spot in the lineup. Allow me to explain.

First, let’s get the love for Argenis Reyes out of the way. I absolutely loved watching Argenis play with the Mets over the last few weeks. I love his attitude, his selfless play, his hustling and diving, his ability to do all the “little” things, such as execute the hit-and-run, get bunts down, hit ground balls to the right side to advance runners from second to third. And then there is that “he’s always in the middle of something”, that if you didn’t notice on your own, was pointed out by the SNY announcers. His hunger to remain in MLB seemed to rub off on the veterans, perhaps sparked them to play just a little harder. Further, as astutely brought up by MetsToday reader “isuzudude”, Jose Reyes took Argenis under his wing, and began to show leadership qualities — a factor that should help Jose mature as a ballplayer going forward. Finally, there is that “chemistry” element that no one wants to mess with; in other words, the Mets have been winning with Argenis playing regularly — so why mess with a good thing?

Now, with all the love out of the way, let’s talk about Luis Castillo. People have short memories, so let me remind you what Castillo brings to the table:

- average to below average range, but sure hands, and great ability to turn the DP
- ability to get down bunts
- baserunning speed and stolen base ability
- ability to execute the double play
- ability to get on base
- patience at the plate; ability to get into deep counts
- contact hitting

So, when we compare Luis Castillo to Argenis Reyes, there are many similarities. Argenis was an OK fielder who extended his average range through hustle and diving. His double play turns were good, but not expert. Offensively, he was “always in the middle of things”, but — other than his recent hot streak — his overall contribution really wasn’t enough to make up for his average defense. Despite his .300 (actually .297) OBP, Jerry Manuel insisted on batting Argenis second in the lineup. You know what? Even a poor-performing Luis Castillo is going to get on base at a rate around .365. Plus, Castillo takes pitches, lots of them, and much to the chagrin of shortsighted Mets fans. Having a guy at the top of the lineup forcing deep counts is a “little thing” that adds up — first, it gives Jose Reyes a chance to steal second base, but secondly and more importantly, it wears down the opposing pitcher AND it forces the pitcher to show all of his pitches (this helps everyone in the lineup). With that patience also comes walks, and once on first base, a healthy Castillo can steal bases — something that was a bit lacking in Argenis’ game.

That’s the key — if Luis Castillo is at least 85% healthy, he should be an upgrade over Argenis Reyes in every facet of the game. Reportedly, Castillo has shown up at Shea looking several pounds lighter, and more fit than he was a month ago. If that’s true, it should put less pressure on his aching knees. In addition, I think the effectiveness of the Argenis/Damion Easley duo has not gone unnoticed by Castillo, and believe that Luis will be motivated to play at a higher level than we saw in April and May.

Think about it: a motivated, healthy Luis Castillo would be a welcome addition to the top of the lineup, and a potentially key cog in the Mets machine for the September stretch run. And hey, if he’s not healthy, and proves to be a slouch, the Mets can always go back to the Reyes/Easley platoon.

Now do understand why I’m excited?

For example, in the bottom of the fifth of last night’s game, there was a popup hit into foul territory on the first-base side by Aaron Rowand with two outs and men on base. Brian Schneider ran a good 100 feet in a hustling effort, but missed the ball by about two feet as the wind blew it just out of his reach. Watching the entire play, and taking digital photographs, was Carlos Delgado, who had a fine view and thanks to the zoom lens was able to get nice, clear shots of the effort. Earlier in the game, we watched Delgado make a half-hearted effort at a ground ball that skipped past him and Luis Castillo and into right field, with neither player making a diving effort.

This was not the first time we’ve seen Delgado make half-assed efforts at baseballs. Rather, this is his usual approach to balls that come off the bat. Sometimes it looks like he’s making a valiant attempt to AVOID batted balls.

I didn’t expect Delgado to get the ground ball, nor the popup. But, my feeling is this: if you are making SIXTEEN MILLION DOLLARS to play baseball, you best be a.) sweating; b.) breathing heavy; and c.) getting dirty. These three elements really need to occur when you are supposed to be, but not delivering as, a cleanup hitter and major offensive threat.

Here’s the thing. I know that age has robbed Carlos Delgado of his most valuable skills. However, that doesn’t mean he should be sleepwalking his way to his paycheck. If you can no longer do one thing well because your age makes it out of your control — then you must at the very least make a full effort with the actions that are in your control. This is called “earning your salary”. Delgado is good at scooping balls in the dirt, and good at occasionally hitting a pitcher’s mistake — sometimes over the wall, sometimes for a single. Every other aspect of his game is awful. His awfulness would be mildly acceptable if he hustled, dove for balls, and looked like he was trying. But he doesn’t — he looks like a lazy bum who doesn’t want the ball hit to him.

Right here is where I bring up Ron “Rocky” Swoboda, a fan favorite from the late 1960s and early 70s. For those of you too young to have seen him, Swoboda was a terrible fielder. He played the outfield — or rather, the outfield played him. Every fly ball was an adventure, and ground balls were far from routine. But, he hustled after every ball hit his way, regularly dove for balls, and thought nothing of smashing into walls. He’s most famous for a reckless, full-extension, diving backhand stab of a line drive in the 1969 World Series (this was known in NYC as “The Catch” after Willie Mays went west and before Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen). Bottom line: he was far from the most talented player on the field, but he was almost always the smelliest and the dirtiest. In other words, he earned his paycheck — which was probably around $40,000. Nice pay for an average Joe back then, but even with inflation it’s a far, far cry from the eight-figure salary collected by Delgado.

These days, Delgado is a very old 35. He labors around the bases, can’t bend down on ground balls, and has cinderblocks for feet. It takes three base hits to score him from first. In the past few years, his OBP has dropped 100 points, his slugging percentage slid double that. He always struck out at a high rate, but in the past at least he took walks. Now, walks are rare, in part because pitchers would be silly not to throw him strikes, and mostly because he rarely sees more than three pitches in an at-bat. His forte is his ability to hit homeruns, but he only hits one every 28 times to the plate (that comes out to around 17 in a 500 at-bat season). He’s also supposed to be an “RBI guy”, but he has driven in a total of only 18 runners (besides himself) in 55 games. That is AWFUL. You want to know how awful? Let me throw this at you: Delgado has driven in those 18 runners, out of 163 “ducks on the pond”. That’s right — Delgado has seen 163 runners on base when he’s come to bat, and driven in only 18 of them. That’s a rate of about 11 percent. To put that into perspective, consider that David Wright and Ryan Church are around 18%, Carlos Beltran is at 17%, and Luis Castillo is at 14%. (Most MLB hitters are somewhere around 15-20%, with the true run producers closer to 20).

Carlos Delgado is a wonderful human being, a truly nice guy with a big heart, and he has an extremely impressive resume. However, his once-amazing skills have diminished greatly, and he plays the game like a tired senior citizen on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Even if he starts to hit for power with some regularity, it won’t be enough to make up for his other shortcomings. Most importantly, he is the acting leader but doesn’t provide an especially inspirational example. A leader should have an insatiable hunger to get to the baseball while on defense, and a relentless need to beat the ball to the bag on offense. Every time Delgado pulls up and jogs down the line on a routine grounder, or waves his mitt at a passing grounder, he’s sending a signal to everyone else on the team: “No need to sweat, no need to dirty the uniform — save your energy. Hustling and diving are not important to winning.”

And THAT message is poisonous to everyone else on the field and in the dugout.

Funny … I thought the same thing … LAST YEAR.

If only Omar had been reading MetsToday last winter, maybe the Mets would currently be part of the postseason.

Let’s begin with Paul LoDuca.

When the Mets refused to discuss an extension with LoDuca in the spring, it was a red flag that the 2007 season might be his last as a Met. And while his spirited play was a breath of fresh air on an occasionally lifeless squad, his defense took another step backward and his offensive production dropped considerably compared to 2006.

Paul LoDuca 2006-2007 Comparison

The RBI were up, but that was more a function of his being in the bottom half of the batting order, rather than in the #2 spot that he called home for most of 2006. Still, it was nice to see that production at the bottom of the order. And though nearly doubling his homerun output, it came at the expense of 21 less doubles. Bottom line was, he didn’t get the bat on the ball nearly as often in 2007 as he did in 2006 — and for a guy that doesn’t walk, that is a major problem when trying to get on base and score runs (i.e., start rallies).

Looking at LoDuca in a vacuum, it’s easy to say “let him test the free-agent waters, we’ll get someone else in here.” However, the pickings are slim; in fact, LoDuca may very well be the best value available on the market.

Herewith the list of potential free-agent catchers:

• Jorge Posada
• Ivan Rodriguez
• Brad Ausmus
• Jason Kendall
• Mike Piazza
• Damian Miller
• Michael Barrett
• Kelly Stinnett
• Yorvit Torrealba
• Josh Paul
• Doug Mirabelli
• Mike Lieberthal
• Robert Fick
• Rod Barajas
• Paul Bako
• Jason Larue
• Todd Greene
• Chad Moeller

That’s it folks. And the Tigers may or may not be picking up Pudge Rodriguez’s option — something the Mets will be watching closely, we presume. I don’t see Posada crossing town, and I don’t see Piazza returning. Barrett was a guy I once thought might be OK, but he can’t hit and he can’t catch and Lou Piniella says he can’t call a game either (he does have a good left hook, though). Ausmus will either re-sign with Houston or go back to San Diego (it’s simply what he does, for whatever reason). Lieberthal’s days as a regular are over. There’s been some talk about Torrealba, but he looks to me like a Paul LoDuca who strikes out twice as often. Who’s left, realistically? Rod Barajas? Jason Larue? I’m thinking … no.

Before you get on the “Ramon Castro should start” kick, here’s some news: Castro is a free-agent as well. And coming off back problems. Further, though you may not care, both Mike DiFelice and Sandy Alomar, Jr., are free birds as well. So in all likelihood, the Mets’ 40-man roster in November will be devoid of catchers. (Damn the Nats for rule-5-drafting Jesus Flores!)

Castro’s not a lock to return, despite his homerun heroics in limited duty. The Mets are concerned with his back, and may not be willing to pay the money he could get from another team — such as, an AL team that could use him as a backup catcher and DH. There is no one outside of 17-year-old Francisco Pena in the minors. There’s a very real possibility that the Mets will have to find a starting and backup catcher from outside the organization.

But unless a trade (or two) can be made, it may make the most sense to bring back LoDuca. The fans love his spirit, the team can use his leadership, and his numbers aren’t that bad compared to what’s available on the market. He’s proven that he can handle the New York media, and the various pressures that go with playing in the big city. The pitchers like pitching to him, and he handles the staff well. He’s a team player, and though he whines once in a while, he’s hardly a distraction. One must wonder who will take the pressure off David Wright — as far as speaking to the media — once LoDuca and Glavine are gone. That duty can’t be measured, nor ignored. It’s not like one of the Carloses will suddenly become the Mets’ spokesperson.

Outside of free agency, I’m not sure there are any good fits worth trading for. Ramon Hernandez? Maybe. Contrary to reports, I don’t believe Victor Martinez can be pried away from the Indians — and if he is, the price is sure to be hefty. There’s been talk about Ronny Paulino of the Pirates, as well as Miguel Olivo of the Marlins, but I’m not sure either of them is an improvement over LoDuca. Gerald Laird is available now that Texas has Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but do you really think Laird is the answer? In New York? Maybe on the 1981 Mets, but not the 2008 version. Johnny Estrada is a possibility, but again, isn’t he essentially LoDuca? Why give up personnel for a guy when you can sign someone similar and give up nothing?

If there were a backstop out there who we could definitely say is a good fit, and could improve on LoDuca’s production, then fine — let Paulie go. But that doesn’t appear to be the case. Barring a blockbuster deal, or an infatuation with Pudge Rodriguez, the odds of Paul LoDuca returning may be better than we originally thought.

“Lastings Milledge Expresses Disappointment Over Collapse”

My response, to quote the great Miles Davis: “So What?”

From the article, we find out that Lastings Milledge is — not surprisingly, based on the headline — disappointed that the Mets didn’t make it into the postseason. Here’s a quote:

“As a team, we’re disappointed a little bit,” Milledge said Sunday after the Mets’ season ended.”

First of all, I had no idea Milledge was a spokesman for the team. Though I suppose the morgue-like clubhouse didn’t house many yappers after the atrocious game 162.

Secondly, that was the last sentence that did not include the pronoun “I”.

At MetsToday, we’ve been hard on Lastings … and received quite a bit of flak for it. However, it’s not ending anytime soon. His “improvement” in behavior in 2007 was a step in the right direction, but hardly the leap that was necessary for a “future star” playing under the heat of the New York limelight. Yeah, yeah, he has the right to produce rap albums and sing misogynistic lyrics on them as well. He’s misunderstood, representative of the youth of America. I get it. His outbursts on the field — the taunting of opponents, the dancing, the mouthing off with umpires, and the temper tantrums are products of his “enthusiasm” and “exuberance”. Yeah, I get that too. His sometimes abrasive cockiness is the “mark of a confident ballplayer”. Believe it or not, I get that as well. I also get the fact that he has immense skills — specifically, lightning hands that drive the bat through the zone and swat fierce line drives.

And with that complete package (or is it “baggage”?) that is Lastings, we get: a .272 batting average, 7 HRs, 29 RBI, in 59 games and 184 at-bats. Over a 150-game, 600-AB season, that translates to around 23 dingers, 90 RBI, and the same .272 average. Not bad. The RBI look good. It’s better production than Shawn Green. Are the numbers worth the complete “package”?

There are some who believe Milledge will one day approach the production of Gary Sheffield, who has similarly quick hands in the batter’s box. The quick hands, of course, are not the only parallel drawn between the two.

However, there’s one thing about Sheffield that Milledge has yet to show: hustle over a 162-game season. Milledge hustles all right — when it suits him. Such as, when he’s trying to make the team out of spring training. Or trying to stretch a double into a triple. Or looking to score from second on a hard-hit single. Most of the time, he hustles. Unfortunately, not all of the time.

Add “lazy” and “unfocused” to the list of complaints against Milledge — be they fair or not. He’s been caught — on camera — jogging down to first on easy ground balls. Taking his time in getting to balls hit over his head. Standing on second base because he didn’t know there were two outs. Jawing at umpires over balls and strikes, and then swinging at balls over his head. Missing the cutoff man.

Cut him some slack, the apologists cry. He’s just a kid.

So was Carl Everett. And Milton Bradley. And Sheffield, for that matter.

Next year, Lastings Milledge turns 23 years old. Though it will be his third year in a Major League uniform, in many ways he’s still a “baby”. Will we continue to treat him like one? Will we continue to look the other way when he makes a mistake? Will we glaze over the immature actions, and accept them as the cost of doing business with a man-child who can blast the ball over the fence? If so, at what point — or what age — do we begin to make him responsible for his actions, and ask him to respect both the game and his opponents? At what age does a selfish youth become a veteran malcontent?

We let the immaturity of Jose Reyes slide by when he was 23 — and upon turning 24, it’s not so cute anymore. Yes, Jose’s issues were very different from Lastings’ but nonetheless they were there, and they were excused as the innocence of youth. Now they’re being examined as possible flaws.

The head of Mets management — Omar Minaya — is confident that the immaturity of Milledge, Reyes, and other youngsters on the Mets will work itself out. They’ll mature as they age, simply by hanging around as time passes — like a bottle of fine wine. If that’s the case, I hope these kids are bottles of Grand Cru Burgundy, rather than Gallo Hearty Burgundy.

Instead, we have four former Mets to honor with this magical number — Lenny Dykstra, Rusty Staub, Robin Ventura, and Ron Swoboda. Sure, I could have eliminated Swoboda — who other than a memorable catch in the 1969 World Series didn’t have a terribly significant career — but since the number is four, and we have four guys, what the hey?

Rusty Staub

Though fans who began following the Mets in the 1980s knew him as the big, fat old guy who came in to pinch-hit for Randy Jones and Pat Zachry (and then headed over to Fifth Avenue to cook up “the best babyback ribs in New York City”), Rusty Staub’s “first” career with the New York Mets was much more memorable. Back when he wore number four, Rusty was the entire offense of the early 1970s Mets lineups. Looking at today’s standards, it’s hard to believe that his 15 HRs, 76 RBI, and .279 batting average in 1973 carried the Mets — but he did. In fact, he was easily the team’s most valuable player, as he was the most consistent batter and the one guy who the opposition pitched around (you must understand, the .239-hitting John Milner was often hitting either third or cleanup … these were tough times). After leading the team in RBI, batting average, and finishing second in HRs in 1975, he was inexplicably traded to the Tigers for an over-the-hill Mickey Lolich (why a team with Seaver, Koosman, Matlack, and zero hitting would trade their best hitter for another pitcher … bleh). Still, Rusty had endeared himself to the Shea faithful with his clutch hitting, and is honored here because without him, there’s no way the Mets enter the 1973 World Series.

Robin Ventura

After ten years of terrorizing American League pitchers with his bat — and winning five Gold Gloves in the process — Robin Ventura became a free-agent and signed with the New York Mets prior to the 1999 season. He was the final ingredient for a team on the cusp of greatness.

Ventura was part of the “Greatest Infield Ever”, and (with all apologies to Edgardo Alfonzo) easily the most-skilled all-around third baseman in Mets history — a position that had been something of a jinxed sore spot for the organization since 1962. Similar to the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of John Olerud two years before, there were whispers that Ventura’s best days were behind him, and perhaps his personality would not be ideal for New York. Like Olerud, Ventura proved the naysayers wrong, big time.

All Ventura did in his first season as a Met was have the best season of his life, assembling career highs of a .301 batting average, 32 HRs, 120 RBI, and 38 doubles. His production was ample protection for cleanup hitter Mike Piazza, and instigated late-season “MVP!” chants from the Shea Stadium fans (he finished 6th in the voting). In August, he suffered a serious knee injury that he played through down the stretch — unbeknownst to the fans until the last week of the regular season, when it was revealed that he had torn cartilage. Nonetheless, he came up huge with heroics at the end, stroking a game-winning, pinch-hit RBI single against the Pirates to help propel the Mets into the Wild Card, and later hitting the historic “Grand Slam Single” to force a Game Six in the NLCS.

Lenny Dykstra

Before he turned into something resembling a WWF champion (roids? no, just a lot of work in the gym, cough cough), “Nails” was a scrappy little “smurf” who was an instant hit with the New York fans for his all-out, gritty style of play and flair for the dramatic. His 1986 rookie year was jam-packed with highlights, web gems, clutch hits, and tobacco juice — a storybook season if there ever was one. Diving catches, drag bunts, and ninth-inning homeruns were his forte, and we came to expect him to do something huge at just the right moment — and he rarely let us down. His walkoff two-run homer against Astros closer Dave Smith in Game Three of the ‘86 NLCS goes down as one of the most memorable and important in Mets history. Why he was ever traded to NL East rivals the Philadelphia Phillies — with Roger McDowell and for Juan Samuel, no less — goes down as one of the worst trades in Mets history.

Ron Swoboda

The Mets had their own “Rocky” long before Sylvester Stallone came along with his Balboa character. Ron Swoboda was another fan favorite — and like Dykstra was a hit for his all-out hustle, lack of fear, perpetually dirty uniform, and clutch hitting prowess. After hitting 19 homeruns as a 21-year-old in his rookie season of 1965, big things were expected of “Rocky”. Unfortunately, he never quite built on that rookie year, and finished a nine-year career with a .243 batting average.

Ironically, Swoboda was known as an awful fielder, prompting Casey Stengel to once say, “He will be great, super, even wonderful. Now if he can only learn to catch a fly ball.” I say ironic because between “The Catch” made by Willie Mays and “The Catch” made by Endy Chavez, there was “The Catch” made by Swoboda in the 1969 World Series — a valiant, amazing, diving stab of a line drive in the ninth inning of Game Four that saved at least one run and helped the Mets win 2-1 (in extra innings) and defined his place in baseball history. He also had six hits in the Series — more than any other player on either team. What Swoboda lacked in skill, he made up in heart, and will forever be cherished as a hero by Mets fans who had the pleasure of seeing him play.

Yes, we know he made his MLB debut in a five-minute stint at the end of last September, and we know he’s pitched three garbage innings this year. But Wednesday will mark his true baptism — by fire, no less — throwing his first meaningful innings as a New York Met. By then, with some help from (ironically) the Braves, the Mets could have first place wrapped up. However, it could also turn out to be the most vital game of the season — because, if the Mets lose on Monday and Tuesday, and the Phillies beat the Braves on Tuesday, only one-half game will separate the Mets from the Phils. In other words, a loss on Wednesday could potentially put the Mets in a first-place tie, less than two weeks after being seven games ahead. Talk about pressure for your first MLB start.

But it didn’t have to happen this way.

Philip Humber spent the entire season in AAA, pitching for the New Orleans Zephyrs. His numbers were only so-so on paper, but fairly promising considering that the PCL is a hitter’s league. And he finished with a flourish, taking a no-hitter into the ninth in his second-to-last start on August 22nd. He won his last game on August 27th, and was briskly promoted to the big club on September 1, leaving his Zephyrs teammates behind to begin the AAA postseason.

Strangely, though, Humber was forgotten in Willie Randolph’s bullpen, and was never considered for spot starting. If he wasn’t going to be given a decent look by the Mets, then why didn’t he stay in New Orleans to help the Zephyrs in their postseason?

The explanation is likely similar to the reason why Humber was not brought up for a spot start earlier in the season, when the Mets were giving the ball to Jason Vargas, Brian Lawrence, Dave Williams, and others. First of all, 2007 is Humber’s first full season after Tommy John surgery, so the Mets were going to make sure he didn’t do anything that might cause a relapse or a step backward. In spring training, with little chance of making the 25-man roster, Humber was overthrowing, in an attempt to catch the attention of Mets management. Well, he caught their attention, all right — and as a result they made the decision to keep him at AAA all year, lest he reinjure himself. No doubt, someone in Port St. Lucie was part of the Mets organization the day Tim Leary blew his arm out overthrowing in his MLB debut, or remembered similar issues with Jason Isringhausen, Grant Roberts, Bill Pulsipher, etc. The Mets have invested millions in Humber’s right arm, and nursed it back to health, and were not taking any chances in him reinjuring it.

Secondly, the Mets did not want to make the same mistake with Humber they did with Mike Pelfrey in 2006. Pelfrey was rushed to the big leagues, and overmatched when he arrived. As a result, he had a less-than-stellar rookie season, and after losing his confidence early in 2007, looked to take a step backward. Because they see a bright future for Humber, they decided to keep him back to continue honing and polishing his stuff, so that when he’d face MLB hitters, he’d be better prepared than Pelfrey was in his debut.

Indeed, the Mets did a fine job of protecting Humber for five months and three weeks of their regular season. When the Zephyrs made the playoffs, they promoted him, perhaps, to keep him from throwing too many pitches in his first full year back. By the way he’s been used, it’s clear the promotion was similar to last year’s September callup: a reward for the hard work he’d done all year. Get a taste of big league life, to motivate him to make the team next spring. To have the opportunity to rub elbows with, and perhaps learn from, legends such as Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine. And maybe once or twice before the end of the season, he’d get the chance to throw pitches to big-league batters, in a big-league park, in front of a big-league crowd.

Well, the plans have been amended.

Humber will indeed pitch in front of a big-league crowd — likely the sellout variety — at Shea Stadium. If the Mets are lucky, it won’t be as big a game as is possible. For example, if the Mets win the first two games, the magic number will be down to 3 (at minimum). If the Phillies also lose, it could be down to two. Not a lot of pressure for the big strapping Texan.

However, if the worst-case scenario is realized — if the Mets lose the first two games and the Phillies win one — then Humber’s start will be the biggest game of the year for the New York Mets. The Phillies would then be a half game out of first, and a loss by the Mets would either create a tie for first or drop them into second place for the first time since May, with three games left to play. I’m feeling a bit of tension simply typing out this possibility, so we can only imagine how a quiet youngster with four innings of MLB experience might react.

The shame of this falls on Willie Randolph, who for unknown reasons thought it best to start Brian Lawrence — rather than Humber — last Monday against the Nationals. Prior to the start of that game, the Mets had been swept by the Phillies at home, but were still 3 1/2 games ahead. In other words, no time to panic. If Humber had the jitters, so what? The Mets had a decent cushion, and didn’t it make sense to let the youngster get his feet wet then, rather than now? This shouldn’t have been suprising, of course — the decision was completely in line with Willie’s premature paranoia, the same fear that forces him to bring in Aaron Heilman, rather than a fresh arm, on back-to-back days when the Mets are leading by three runs. It’s the same fear that makes Willie walk out to the mound to remove Pedro Feliciano after three pitches in the ninth inning (again, with a three-run lead).

That same fear in Willie instigated the illogical explanation of starting Lawrence last week — because Lawrence was “on schedule” and Humber was “just a baby”. Randolph’s exact words:

“You don’t take a young guy like that who’s never done it and force-feed him,” Randolph said.

Willie! You were up by more than three games! If THAT was a “force-feed” situation then what the heck is this Wednesday?

Exacerbating the situation is the fact that Randolph had been reluctant to give Humber more than a scant few garbage innings, despite having several opportunities. The kid has pitched three innings since September 1st. THREE. Two innings against Cincinnati in a 7-0 blowout on September 5th, and one lousy inning in a similar situation on September 11th. The opportunities where there, however. He could have been used against Philadelphia, after the Mota meltdown, for example, or against the Nats after Lawrence faltered the next day. He could have been given an inning in the game the Mets blew out the Astros 11-3 — but we supposed he couldn’t be trusted to hold an eight-run lead for an inning or two. In any case, Humber hasn’t thrown enough game innings to be sharp — and don’t think his three-inning “simulated game” in Port St. Lucie counts. EVERYTHING changes when you walk onto the mound in a REAL game. It’s silly to believe that you can use tired A-ball players in a vacant park to prepare Humber to face big leaguers in front of 55,000 New York fans. It could have been a little easier had he done it before — say, last Monday.

Hopefully, the Mets will take the first two against the Nats and thereby reduce the tension for Humber’s start. Maybe, it won’t matter — maybe we’ll find out Humber has the stomach to handle the biggest game of the season.

Luckily, his manager won’t be adding any pressure to the situation.

“We hope he’s real sharp,” Manager Willie Randolph said of Humber, who appeared twice in relief last season for two innings. “Go out there and throw a gem.”

Great, Philip — just go out there and throw a gem (and nothing less).

Let’s hope the “baby” grows up — real fast.

John Olerud.

The Mets stole Olerud from the Blue Jays for a song — journeyman pitcher Robert Person. At the time, it seemed an unreal deal, and looking back, it’s even more of a head-scratcher. But the Blue Jays had to clear some salary and the first base position to make room for a young slugger named Carlos Delgado, so Olerud made his way to Flushing.

Olerud had come off a poor season, batting only .274 — mostly because his coaches in Toronto were trying to get him to pull the ball more and hit more homeruns. Former manager Cito Gaston questioned his toughness and his love for the game, and told newspapers that the 27-year-old might retire after the ‘97 season — and that he might not have the proper personality to play in New York.

Boy was Gaston wrong.

Johnny O not only handled the tough New York crowd and pressure of playing in the media capital of the world — he flourished, and became a fan favorite to boot. Olerud had so many clutch hits in a Mets uniform, it got to the point where you expected him to come through with the impossible base hit in the bottom of the ninth to win the game. Platooned in Toronto, Olerud vowed that he’d make it difficult for new manager Bobby Valentine to take him out of the lineup — and delivered on his promise. Allowed to hit “his way” — often to the opposite field — Olerud hit 22 HRs, drove in 102, and batted .294 in his first year as a Met. But that was only the beginning. He followed it up with a .354 season in 1998, finishing second for the batting title. In 1999, his average dropped to a shade under .300 but nearly every one of his hits counted as he drove in another 96 runs, while playing in all 162 games. He also walked 125 times that season and scored 107 runs, setting the table for Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura.

In addition to his bat, Olerud did it with the glove, playing the right corner so well that some questioned whether Keith Hernandez was the best-fielding first baseman in Flushing history. He was part of the Sports Illustrated cover article — pictured with Edgardo Alfonzo, Rey Ordonez, and Ventura — that proclaimed them “The Best Infield Ever”.

Unfortunately, it was easy come, easy go, as Olerud took advantage of free agency to go West to play for the Seattle Mariners in his home state of Washington. Sadly, he did return to New York, but as a Yankee, in 2005. However, he’ll forever be remembered in New York as a Met — for three years one of the classiest and most clutch players ever to wear the orange and blue.

But then, there was also Todd Pratt — he of the clutch pinch-hit homerun. And Hubie Brooks, who for a short time in the early 1980s was the Mets’ closest argument for the All-Star team.

However, there’s only one Met deserving of the honor today: Ed Kranepool — who switched to 7 from 21 when Warren Spahn joined the club.

Expectations were high when Kranepool was signed out of James Monroe HS as a 17-year-old in 1962 — after all, he played the same position at the same school as the great Hank Greenberg. Also, like Greenberg, Kranepool was 6′3″ and 210 pounds — a strapping young lad. Unfortunately, that’s were the comparisons end, as Eddie K’s career .261 average and 118 HRs in 18 seasons will attest.

While Kranepool never fulfilled the stardom that was hoped for him, he did in many ways embody what it was to be a Met. He was average or below-average in every facet of the game, and even as a teenager resembled the over-the-hill veterans that studded the Mets’ roster in the early 1960s. During his rookie season, manager Casey Stengel once quipped, “He’s only seventeen and he runs like thirty.” As a 19-year-old, his play prompted one Polo Grounds fan to hang the banner, “Is Ed Kranepool Over the Hill?”.

“Steady Eddie” was the Mets’ starting first baseman from 1964-1969 by default — somehow the Mets couldn’t come up with any better first sackers during that time period. That is, until Donn Clendenon showed up. The slugging first baseman picked up from the Montreal Expos took over Ed’s duties and helped hit the Mets into their first Championship. However, Kranepool did play one game of the 1969 World Series, and hit a solo homer.

Kranepool’s batting dropped below the Mendoza line in 1970 (before anyone knew who Mario Mendoza was) and he was sent to AAA Tidewater. At age 24, Ed Kranepool was considering retirement.

However, he eventually resurfaced, and rebounded with the best season of his career in 1971 — batting .280 with 14 HRs and 58 RBI and leading NL first basemen with a .998 fielding percentage. From there on, he quickly evolved into a part-time player and then a pinch-hitter — a role in which he flourished. Besides extending his career to 1979, Kranepool batted .396 as a pinch-hitter from 1974-1978, including a .486 mark in 1974, finally endearing himself to fans. If nothing else, “Steady Eddie” had longevity — 18 seasons and 1853 games as a New York Met.

I distinctly remember the moment that the evening news announced the Mets had made a trade for Gary Carter; it was at first shock, then pure elation — and more exciting than any present I opened two weeks later on Christmas morning. The Mets’ young hurlers and spunky smurfs had given us hope in 1984, and now that the best catcher in baseball would join a lineup that already included Darryl Strawberry and Keith Hernandez — the first legit #3 hitter in Mets’ history — a pennant was seemingly a foregone conclusion. While many point to the acquisition of Hernandez as legitimizing the Mets, in truth it only showed that they were on their way toward being taken seriously. The Carter deal cemented the fact that the Mets were going after first place.

And Carter delivered, as a rock behind the plate and a clutch run-producer in the middle of the lineup. He drove in over 100 runs in his first two seasons, and helped shape the raw young mound talent into stars. Though he smacked 532 basehits in a Mets uniform (regular + postseason), he will forever be remembered for one: a seemingly harmless, two-out single on October 25, 1986 that ignited the greatest comeback in World Series history.

Here’s to you, Kid!