Mets Today

Ambiorix Burgos is back in trouble.

Less than a month ago, Burgos blew any chance he had at helping the New York Mets in the final weeks of the season by beating up his girlfriend. Not to mention blowing any chance he had at being an acceptable member of society.

At the time, it appeared that Amby was at a rock-bottom point in his life, and possibly too far gone to be helped.

But he just sunk lower. (more…)

Neat article this week in New York Magazine comparing the evolution of NYC items through the years … for example, taxi cabs, subway tokens, and Mets uniforms:

For most of Monday afternoon, Mike Francesa had well-placed criticism for the New York Mets. However, he was way off the mark in his analysis of David Wright vs. Carlos Beltran.

Francesa had this to say about Wright, who he sees as a guy who is “not clutch” and who cannot take the Mets to the playoffs: (more…)

A loyal Mets fan emailed me with the question,

I’m wondering if the Wilpons are part Aztec–we’ve had our collective hearts ripped out of our chests two years running . . .

Not sure how to answer — I’m not much of an historian — so I did a little research and found this ancient Aztec rendition … and there DOES seem to be a resemblance …

My good friend and MetsToday reader Dennis — who has been watching the Mets at Shea since the 1960s — made a fitting comment back in June about today’s Mets fan (and the media coverage), in contrast to the “old days”:

It’s as if an entire season is played in one game

In other words, we as Mets fans treat nearly every single game as if it were an entire season — we are ecstatic after every win, crushed after every loss. Further, we analyze nearly every pitch of the game with a sharp, critical eye — then blog about it for the next 24 hours — because we react as though the success of the entire 162-season depends on that one contest.

How many of us were “on the ledge” when the Mets began the season 2-4, mired in last place, after the initial six contests? How many of us wrote off the season in mid-June, both prior to and after Willie Randolph’s dismissal?

Ironically, today Dennis’ description rings only too true: the Mets are playing an entire season in one game — their fate DOES in fact depend on the outcome of one, single game.

Let’s go Mets!

The best things in life are free … especially in this economic climate.

Whether you’re a reader or a viewer, I have two great links for you:

Video: Playing for Peanuts, Episode 1.4 is now available for viewing online at the Playing for Peanuts Blog. This particular episode is timely, since it includes a skydiver.

Magazine: Gotham Baseball Magazine
The only magazine that covers the past, present, and future of New York baseball has gone digital!
You can read the most recent issue — with Johan Santana on the cover — for free online. All you have to do is fill out a quick survey for access. No, they won’t spam you, they’re simply building demographics info for future issues. Great stuff in there, I recommend it highly.

So the Mets have fallen to second place, after a lackluster two games in DC. They’re not flat, though, so no worries — they’re just not hitting, according to Jerry Manuel. Whatever that means.

To add injury to insult, the Mets have lost starting left fielder Fernando Tatis for the remainder of the season. He joins closer Billy Wagner and previous starting left fielder Moises Alou on the season-ending DL, which John Maine may or may not be part of. We assume Orlando Hernandez is also on the DL, but since we haven’t heard hide nor hair from him since March, it’s anyone’s guess.

Let’s step back for a moment. The Mets are without:

1. Their starting left fielder, and the starting left fielder who replaced him.

2. A closer.

3. A reliable arm in the bullpen.

4. Their #2 or #3 starter, depending on who you talk to.

5. A healthy, MLB-caliber second baseman.

6. A legitimate, MLB-caliber fifth starter.

In addition, their starting catcher is wobbling on weak knees, and their #3 and #4 starters are suddenly question marks.

As Mets fans, we can look at this in one of two ways. We can either cry in our beer, claim woe is us, and worry that the Mets will re-construct (destruct?) their 2007 collapse. Or, we can be REAL Mets fans, expect the worst, and be pleasantly surprised if they find their way to the playoffs.

Yeah, I know … it’s hard to expect nothing from a team full of stars, and equally difficult to term a club with a $140M payroll as an underdog. But it’s in line with the team’s oft-beleaguered history, and will help deal with what is sure to be an excruciatingly stressful two weeks.

There is one good thing: Milwaukee’s firing of manager Ned Yost would suggest that the team is mailing it in for the remainder of the season. Either that or they really believe such a change could spark the Brewers to a wild card berth. If so, it’s a tremendous gamble at this point of the season, and I’m betting on them falling short, which should push the second-place team in the NL East into the postseason. Of course, there’s an outside shot that the Astros (believe it or not) could pull off a miracle — they’re only three games out of the race — but it would take a, um, collapse of colossal proportions by the Mets to allow that to happen.

So no worries … if the Mets don’t win the NL East, no big deal — they’re almost a cinch to get the wild card. And if they do get into the playoffs that way, they’re guaranteed NOT to be the favorite — the familiar role of underdog will once again describe the boys from Flushing.

Something seems awfully familiar …

The Mets in first place, with a slim lead over the Phillies in the final weeks of the season.

A bullpen which had been pushed pedal to the metal since Opening Day, suddenly faltering — and, amazingly, everyone wondering why.

A manager panicking in response to the above, and “going with the hot hand” without any other thought, reason, or logic.

Starting pitchers dropping like flies.

A glut of veteran and rookie pitchers hanging around the bullpen playing pinochle, with no real chance of ever throwing a meaningful pitch in a game. (Visions of Bobby Parnell starting a big game in the final week of the season keep pestering me.)

Hobbled veterans in and out of the lineup, most notably at second base.

Jose Reyes slowing down — in fact, almost grinding to a halt.

David Wright coming on strong in the final weeks, attempting to carry the team on his shoulders.

Yes, it’s beginning to look a lot like September 2007, but we do have a few differences:

1. A manager who may be just as numbskulled as his predecessor, but who gives the media plenty of quotes and sound bites (whatever that’s worth).

2. Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran helping Wright carry the team.

3. A fresh-faced kid named Daniel Murphy continuing to hit.

Yes, before we write off this season as another, albeit less dramatic, collapse, let’s take into consideration that this 2008 team is currently hitting. At no point in the last two years has all three of Wright, Beltran, and Delgado been hot at the same, and those three bats can obviate bullpen catastrophes and starting pitching breakdowns. And yes, you CAN hit your way into the postseason — just ask the 2007 Phillies (how far you get is another story). So as long as the big three keep whacking the ball, the Mets have a chance to stay atop the NL East.

I think.

Now I’ve seen everything.

Just in case the heated NL East pennant race is not enough to get you to go out to Shea, may I be the one to tell you that tonight is Pet Sponge Night.

That’s right — the first 12,000 kids to enter the stadium will receive a free T-shirt courtesy of Uncle Norman’s™ Pet Sponge, the 4-in-1 pet sponge that’s good for 8 luxurious baths! I imagine it’s a sponge that would make Billy Mays proud. (Actually, we’re not sure if it’s a 3-in-1, 4-in-1, or 5-in-1 — we’re getting conflicting scouting reports. But we do know that it is Paraben free.)

Luckily, there are still seats available for this once in a lifetime offer, but hurry before the game sells out. And make sure you arrive early and have someone 12 or under in tow, or you’ll miss out.

And no, I’m not sure why this offer wasn’t combined with Dog Day at Shea last Friday. Would seem to have been a no-brainer.

From the view from the Hudson River, the rain has been on and off all day and therefore not sure if there will be a Mets game tonight.

If there is, be sure to head on over to Mets Chat to “twitter” about the game. Your MetsToday login and password should work, but if not, register again over there and/or email me. We worked out most of the kinks this weekend, and it seems to be working pretty well.

If the game is canceled or delayed, you may fulfill your need for baseball watching by going to the Playing For Peanuts site, where another new episode is available for viewing. It includes commentary and insight from the producer John Fitzgerald. Good stuff.